Sunday, August 7, 2011

First Day(s) of School!

So this past week has been quite the overwhelming week! I had three teacher workdays and two days of teaching this week. The workdays were fine and I was able to be productive, but I got very overwhelmed on Monday when they were going over all of the policies, procedures, special circumstances, etc and I thought to myself "How in the world am I going to remember all of this stuff?" Being a teacher is a COMPLICATED job! Tuesday I worked on things for my classes during the workday and then we had orientation. I was able to meet several of my students and their parents and it was really nice, but scary being the peson at the front of the room! Apparently, I was successful though because I had several students go back to the administrative assistant and tell her that they liked me- sweet. Wednesday I spent most of the day in my classroom moving things around and getting it situated. It technically isn't *my* classroom because it is on the community college's campus and it will be used for night classes, but I was able to set up a desk area and arrange the tables so that I could move around a little easier. There are still things that I would like to do to it, but that can come later.

Thursday was a great day. It was a little complicated with the confusion of the first day of school and all, but I really got a good impression of my classes and I think it is going to be a great year. I have a wonderful group of students who are so dynamic and diverse and I can't wait to really get to know them. I hadn't planned quite enough stuff to do on the first day, and part of my plans were messed up because the students don't have their laptops yet (which I thought that they did), but I had planned for several days and just stole plans from Friday. Good lesson already learned! Fridays will be crazy days because they are half days every.single.friday. and the fact that my students come to me at a different time on Fridays then they do the rest of the week. I think I can make the craziness work by having independent work time on Fridays or student conferences or something- we'll see how it goes.

To make this job even crazier, I had to make sub plans for three days (Mon-Wed of this week) because I have county meetings to go to. I had my plans all set, but they were messed up due to the students not having their laptops. Oh the joys of the inconsistencies of teaching!!!!

Catch up!

Ok so here were my goals to do before work and the current standing of these goals:
* Catch up on my project 52.
--- fail. I am currently about 20 weeks behind on project 52. I really hope to catch up! Next year, I hope to actually do project 52 keeping in mind the true intention of the project.
* Get things together for my new apartment.
-- slowly but surely. I don't have everything together, but I have time to get that done. I also haven't started on my table project even though it has been sitting in my garage for about two weeks. I will get there.
* Do a deep clean and organize of my current room.
--- fail but may very well happen this afternoon as I am cleaning the rest of the house in anticipation of my grandparents' homecoming.
* Go to the beach
-- success! I did manage to go to the beach before school started. The water was way too rough for my liking and I could only manage to stay in for about 15 minutes, but the beach itself was wonderful.
* Do something fun and spontaneous.
-- success!

So 2.5/5, such a disappointment. Come back later for an update on the job!

Ponderings on relationships.

Wow, I fail at all of the goals I had set to do before school got back in session. Life just has a way of getting away from me and then I look back and think "where in the world has the time gone?!" In some senses, I also feel like time has a way of slowly ticking by and some things that realistically haven't been a part of your life for very long feel like they have been a part of you forever. Relationships have a way of falling into this later category; you start spending time with someone and feel like you know the person because you spend so much time together. Suddenly, everything starts to remind you of that person- the way someone else says something exactly the way that this person would, the the dance music at the club you are at, shows that you have watched together on tv, movies that you have seen or referenced, silly conversations that you have had, and so on. When you look back, you realize that in the realistic sense, you have not known this person for that long, but you have internalized everything that has come from your time together. It makes me think about the amazing impact that humans have on each other and what that impact means. What am I doing with the impact that I am having on those around me? Am I building them up and making something positive out of our interactions? What happens when something happens to damage that relationship?

Monday, July 18, 2011

Overwhelmed and excited

I am both overwhelmed and excited at the same time. I am super excited about starting my new job in less than 2 weeks. I mean, technically, I have already started, but according to the school system my first day is July 29th. I am so glad that I have been able to meet with the staff, get some resources, and have a meeting about my curriculum over the past few days- but I am still overwhelmed. The more I get into it, the more work I realize needs to be done. I am such a perfectionist and am so thorough in everything that I do, especially those things that relate to work, that I am just bogged down with it all at the moment. There is so much to be done over the next week and a half, and I just dont feel like I have enough time to get it all done.

What I really think my problem is is the fact that I need to just chunk this down into more manageable pieces. I am currently so swamped because I am thinking about the entire year and what this is going to look like, when in all honesty, I have no idea what this whole thing is going to look at it. A more realistic approach would be to look at it and take the first few weeks and attack those first. Once I have a realistic, working expectation of what is to come, then I can worry about the rest.

Expect a lot of job update posts to come in the next few days/weeks, because that is all I will be thinking about.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

New job, things to do...

I am getting more and more excited about my new job :) Right now, the school is setting up a meeting between me and teachers at the "sister" school to go over curriculum for the classes that I will be teaching. I am so ready to get started, and I cannot believe that in about three weeks I will be TEACHING in my OWN classroom! I am going out to lunch with some of the faculty members on Friday, and I am so excited!

Between now and when I start work, I have several things that I would like to accomplish!
* Catch up on my project 52. I am going to just take a morning and go and knock out the different pictures to get back on track with this project.
* Get things together for my new apartment. I am officially moving out sometime in October. I am either living with my sister or by myself, depending on her life and what she has going on. I am planning on things as if I am moving out by myself. I am slowly purchasing things for my new place (such as the new towels, cookware, glasses, and such that I bought today) and putting them away. Some work needs to be done to some of my furniture including my kitchen table. Currently, the table is this horrible shade of green that is peeling and revealing an ugly gold color underneath. I want to strip the table (and chairs), paint it a new, fresh color, and fix up the chairs. Fixing up the chairs would mean that I need to find some padding and fabric to reupholster the chairs with. Such an exciting project! Some work may also need to be done to my bed as well, I will have to check on the condition of it.
* Do a deep clean and organize of my current room.
* Go to the beach
* Do something fun and spontaneous. I need to enjoy myself a little before going to work full time because it will be next summer before I can have some leisure time again! I am sure I will love my new job, but I have to enjoy myself a little before taking the plunge into the adult working world!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Project 52 Catch up: Week 10: Morning

Project 52 Catch up: Week 9: Patterns

Project 52 Catch up: Week 8: Pink

Project 52 Catch up: Week 7: Time

Project 52 Catch up: Week 6: Red

One of the other things that I would like to do during my remaining time over the summer is catch up on my project 52. I got sidetracked from my project 52 during my internship and have yet to go back to it. I am updating weeks 6-10 tonight and hopefully over the next few days/weeks I will catch up with 11-28. (Topics remaining: round, shine, envy, soft, perspective, love, start, free, texture, toys, downtown, summer, heat, fantasy, water, shadows, light, night)

Enjoy the next few posts!

Summer Goals

A check in with the summer goals!

* Run at least 4 x a week for the remainder of the summer (if not more)
- FAIL. Every time I wake up early to run, I find out that there is too much smoke outside from the brush fires in Pender County. I dont want to run outside when the air is so hazy :( I have gone to the gym some more, but I really want to run outside. I am going to try again tonight, we'll see how that goes.

* Create something- I haven't crafted in so long and I miss it!
- CHECK. See post below for my awesome new jewelry organizer. I want to make another for my boss (since she supplied me with all of the corks) and one more thats a little larger so I can house all my jewelry. I also want to do at least one more crafty thing, but I dont know what that is yet. I'll keep you updated.

* Read at least 5 new books off of my list
- IN PROGRESS. I have read "Turn of the Screw" by Henry James and "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. I was actually not all that impressed with either of these books, which is surprising considering how popular and iconic On the Road really is. I got through the first half of the book just fine, but the second half just seemed overly redundant and unnecessary. I kind of ruined the whole no buying books thing with a trip to Books a Million the other day. I got a book on John F Kennedy, a book called The Irregulars, One Day by John Nichols, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A friend also lent me The Zombie Survival Guide, so I have plenty to choose from. I am thinking of reading The Zombie Survival Guide alongside another book? I think I am going to tackle The Scarlett Letter next off the list, time is ticking for 3 more reads OFF the list (plus whatever else I want to read not on the list)

* Find a job
- CHECK. I can't get into any details yet, but I am fairly certain that I have a job for the fall. I am recommended to the board of education for the position, but I guess I need to go in and sign paperwork and be accepted by the BOE?

* Pay off hospital bills from surgery
- Slowly but surely. I have knocked down the amounts on my two remaining bills, but I don't think these will be completely paid off by summer's end. At least I will have made a good dent in them?

What I did today

One of the things that I have been able to cross off my summer goals list is the one about creating something. I have been wanting to do this project for awhile, but I didn't have enough time or corks to do it with. Since I have been working at an Italian restaurant all summer (where we sell a LOT of wine), I was finally able to get the corks needed for this project :) I also had to find a cute frame to make this project complete. *Drum roll please*.....

My newest jewelry holder!



I also have been able to read two of the books off my list: Turn of the Screw and On the Road. More about that later!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Life as of late

Grad school- just a few days until it is done! I have been very proud of myself because I kept up with ALL of my work, have not procrastinated, and actually got a lot of work done well ahead of time! Unfortunately, I should have procrastinated this time because one of my professors actually decided to get rid of a major assignment because too many people looked "tired" and "overwhelmed." Guess who actually had already finished hers? That's right- this girl right here. TIme management people- it goes a long way.

Job Interview- it went really well yesterday! It was very low key and more like a conversation with several of the faculty members, but I think I liked this method better than the traditional type of interview. I have some things that I have to think about, but I should hear in a few days whether I got the job or not.

Running- I met my goal last week of four days. I will have to run today, tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday to meet it this week, but I think that it is do-able!

Weekend- This weekend I am going to my grandparent's 50th anniversary celebration and I am so excited about it! We are traveling to Greensboro. Friday my sisters and I are going shopping, Saturday is the vow renewal and celebration, and we will come home on Sunday. It will be a short trip but I am looking forward to the time away! The only down side to this is that I have to leave my precious Meredith for the weekend but I am leaving her with a family who will take very good care of her and who have a few dogs to keep her occupied!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Hot Hot Hot!

So I have gotten on a semi-regular running pattern again and it's about time! I decided that during these hot summer months I would probably do short runs, a mile or so in length, and work on speed more than anything. I of course will have some longer runs, but in general I am thinking this is a good way to go. When the fall months get here, that is when I will focus more on distance to get to the 10k on October 15th. The other day I posted about how abysmal my running time was for the mile, and now that I am hyper aware of that abysmal time, I was able to cut off three minutes so it is in the not quite as embarrassing range. Yes, that is how bad it was that I can cut off three minutes and still not really want to own my number right now....

Today's run was HOT and HUMID and WINDY! It is supposed to rain later today so the air was very heavy and I had to work a lot harder to get my run in. Even though I dont feel like I am any smaller since starting to run again, I do feel like things are starting to tighten up and that is always a good thing in my book :)

A week and a half until grad school is over! I am down to mostly big projects to do. I will have a final in each class and I have a research paper/presentation and a case study for one class, and a presentation for the other! I can't believe grad school is almost over. On one hand, this has felt like the longest year of my life and it felt like it would never end. On the other hand, looking back, it doesn't seem like it has been that long at all.

I am in the process of looking for a place of my own for the fall. I think it is time for me to move on, be more independent, and just live my life!

I got a job interview! I am super stoked! It is Wednesday so I will keep you updated!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Oh Life...

Summer school has taken over my life. Only two weeks left until complete freedom! Those two weeks, however, are going to be killer. I made myself a nice (long) list of all of the stuff I had to do between now and the END of grad school and it's not looking pretty folks. (and by stuff I mean reading, reflections, papers, quizzes, projects, tests, etc etc etc). I can do anything for two weeks right?!

The last few days I have been running a mile with out stopping. I should have never quit running after my 5k in October but I couldnt stand the thought of running in the cold- I wasn't that hardcore yet but I can't stop again this winter! So I am slowly building my stamina back up and I am hoping for a 10k in October (the same race as last year, just longer). My mile time is pretty abismal though, so abismal that I won't admit it right now. Maybe when I get to my ideal time (I think 8 min/mile is a pretty decent goal for a girl who has never been a runner?!) I will shamelessly admit what I am at now (don't worry, I won't forget this number).

I am contemplating joining WW. My sister joined about a month ago and has been seeing some fabulous results. I am hoping that I could get some similar results and have an accountability partner at the same time?!

I got a summer job at this restaurant, and I like it. I am liking the money coming in after almost a year of not having a job. Hallelujah income!

In honor of summer, I have a few goals:
* Run at least 4 x a week for the remainder of the summer (if not more)
* Create something- I haven't crafted in so long and I miss it!
* Read at least 5 new books off of my list
* Find a job
* Pay off hospital bills from surgery
and most importantly....

* Enjoy myself- it will be the first time that school is not in my immediate future and I feel like I need to take chances, enjoy my life a little, do something outside of my comfort zone!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

My sweet baby girl...

Here are a few pics of my sweet baby girl!

Meredith just LOVES to cuddle!
There are some nights that she just isnt content unless she is right next to me...
How sweet!



...and she got settled down and started to drift off

... and she's out!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Oh Joy...

Summer session starts tomorrow. Kill me now. I went on Blackboard last night and read over my syllabus for one of my two classes and it is already looking like it is going to be a killer month. I can do it though, its only one month right?! 5 weeks. I can do five weeks. The horrible part of this summer session is the fact that I have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Two days a week doesnt sound so bad right?! Wrong- because my classes go from 8:30-12:15 and from 1-4:45. Yes, that is correct. I have two 3 hour and 45 minute classes back to back. I am sure its going to be a great time. Tonight I am going to get a head start on the reading because there is a ton of that for this one class already- yay.

In other news, I found a job. Go me. I trained on Saturday and I work again on Wednesday. It's just a waitressing job, but I will take just about anything at this point. I am searching for a teaching job for the fall and I have my eye on one job in particular- we will see how that goes.

I started running again- go me. I have myself on a schedule to run a 10k in October (the Bridge Run that I did the 5k of last year).

And... that's about it. Here's a picture of me in my cap and gown just for kicks and giggles....



Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Book Review: Feed

found here

So before I delve into my massive booklist that I outlined last night, I decided to go ahead and read this book Feed by MT Anderson. This book is required by one of my summer classes, so I decided to go ahead and knock it out.

A brief overview:
This book takes place in a future where computer chips have taken over the basic brain functions in humans. The world is deteriorating and humans live in the mass consumer market where their "feed" is tailored to their personality and advertises to them constantly. This "feed" takes over the basic functions of the human brain: the emotions, movement, thought, etc. People no longer have to know anything, they can look it up in their feed. Titus, the main character, and his friends take Spring Break on the moon where he meets this unusual girl named Violet. Violet is so unusual because she decides to start fighting the feed and brings Titus along.

My opinion:
I am going to admit that I was very confused the first part of the book. It was not until you got into the book a little bit that the idea of the feed was explained to you at all. I felt lost and had no clue what the narrator was talking about until about 30 pages in. When it was explained, I understood a little better and started to enjoy the novel a little bit more. This novel is classified as YA, but I think even that classification is stretching it a little bit. Yes, the book would probably appeal to YA readers, but there was quite a bit of language in the book that I just felt was completely unnecessary. I think that Anderson makes a very valid point about people being too driven by the consumer market, too easily swayed by the advertisements all around them. Overall, I think I would give this book a 3/5.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Life Update!

So I've been a pretty busy bee lately. I finished up my internship (so sad!), I organized EOC tutoring for the high school I interned at, I graduated, and now I am back at school tutoring and currently seeking employment in several different forms.

The end of my internship was so bittersweet. I was ready to be done with school, but I was in no way prepared to leave my students. My last day at the internship, my clinical teacher threw me little parties in each of my classes and I was able to spend some time with my students. She asked each class to discuss memorable lessons or moments in class. Of course, several students mentioned times when I disciplined them, but they all were surprisingly mature about it. I was able to hold it together on my last day, but I think the only real reason that this happened was because I knew I would be coming back for three weeks to tutor for the EOC.

The last few days of my internship I spent organizing the EOC tutoring. It was a LOT of work, and a LOT of frustration, but I was really glad that I did it. Even though a lot of my work ended up being in vain because of unforeseeable factors, I took it in stride and all is well! Now I am tutoring students who need a little extra help to pass the EOC and have actually really enjoyed it and gotten some pretty positive feedback from the students who are in my tutoring groups.

I graduated on Friday!!! Even though I still have two summer classes to take, it still felt like a pretty significant milestone for my Master's Degree. I was actually very disappointed in the actual ceremony, despite my exhilaration in being DONE for the semester and at the GRADUATION point. I was miserable throughout the ceremony. First, they crammed the graduates (about 500 of them) in this teeny tiny hallway to line up. Then, the ceremony was in the basketball arena and all of the family was up in the second tier with no way to get close and take any good pictures. Third, I couldnt hear practically ANYTHING that was said during the ceremony. And finally, the ceremony was so impersonal. They herded us across the stage like a bunch of cattle so we didnt really get our moment on the stage. It was so impersonal and I was not a fan.

Finally, I am searching for employment in all forms. I am tutoring for the school right now, which is paying nicely, but I also need a summer AND a big girl job. I may have landed a waitstaff position at a little Italian restaurant in New Bern, but I havent started so I dont want to count it official. However, I still have the looming question of where will I be employed next fall that still needs to be answered.

As you can see, life is busy, but it is also oh so good. Until next time!

Summer Reading?!

I have decided that this summer, I am going to tackle (part) of my bookshelf. I have a LOT of books. (This is no understatement people) and I realized the other day that I have a ton of classic books just sitting on my shelf that I have never read. Some of them, I am rather embarrassed that I have never read (having a BA in English and all). So this summer, I will attempt to rectify that situation, or part of it at least.

I think what started this whole thing is the fact that I have had quite a bit of time to read lately, and reading for pleasure is not something that I have had time to do in a loooong time. As evidenced by my recent book reviews, I have been tearing through books lately. Since my last post, I have read both The Wind in the Willows and Little Women, classics that have for some reason escaped me over the years. I remember starting Little Women when I was younger, but I never finished it for reasons unknown. The version of Little Women that I have is only the "Little Women" part and not the "Good Wives" part, so Beth did not die, Jo has not scorned Laurie, Laurie and Amy have not gotten marries, etc etc. I like it this way. I finished the book last night and then I was going to read the second part (Good Wives), but when I heard of all of the things that happen in that second part, I decided to leave well enough alone. Right now I can pretend that none of that other stuff happens and life can go on merrily. If Beth dies, I dont think that I can do that. The Wind in the Willows was such an enjoyable read. I tore through that book in a matter of a few days, reading the first half in one sitting.

So anyways, back to the point... I have compiled a list of all of the books on four of my shelves that I have never read. (The four shelves being Brit Lit, American Lit, World Lit, and YA Lit- yes, I know that I am a bit obsessive) Below is that list:


1. Emma- Jane Austen
2. Shirley- Charlotte Bronte
3. Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte*
4. Canterbury Tales- Geoffrey Chaucer*
5. A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
6. David Copperfield- Charles Dickens
7. Great Expectations- Charles Dickens
8. Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens
9. Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- Robert Louis Stevenson
10. Invisible Man- Ralph Ellison*
11. The Beautiful and the Damned- F. Scott Fitzgerald
12. This Side of Paradise- F. Scott Fitzgerald*
13. The Scarlett Letter- Nathaniel Hawthorne*
14. Their Eyes Were Watching God- Zora Neale Hurston
15. The Turn of the Screw- Henry James
16. On the Road- Jack Kerouac*
17. The Bluest Eyes- Toni Morrison
18. The Jungle- Upton Sinclair
19. The Winter of Our Discontent- John Steinback
20. Uncle Tom’s Cabin- Harriet Beecher Stowe
21. Out of Africa- Karen von Blixen-Finecke*
22. The Good Earth- Pearl S. Buck
23. Medea- Euripides
24. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest- Ken Kesey
25. Lolita- Vladimir Nabokov
26. The Fountainhead- Ayn Rand
27. The Chocolate War- Robert Cormier

the asterisks denote books that I have started but never finished for one reason or another.

Now I am not saying that I will tackle this ENTIRE list this summer, because let's face it: some of these books are beasts, but I am saying that I will start to tackle them and see how far I get. I think its silly for me to spend money on books when I have shelves full of books that I have never read before and should read at some point in my life. So- onto the task! I will keep you updated as I trundle through!

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Book Review: Something Borrowed

found here

After all of my "serious" reading (The Secret Life of Bees, The Help, The Other Hand), I decided that I wanted to read some good old fashioned chick-lit. When I went to see Water For Elephants (awesome movie by the way, and fairly close to the book as I remember it), I saw the trailer for this movie and decided to read the book first. The movie looked pretty cute, so the book should be too, right?!

Brief summary:
Rachel met this amazing guy, Dex, in law school and was practically in love with him, until he met her best friend Darcy. Dex and Darcy started dating and now, years later, they are engaged. On the night of Rachel's 30th birthday, Darcy goes home early because she is pretty wasted, and Dex and Rachel end up spending the night together. The result is a fairly complicated situation in which Dex is still engaged to Darcy but seeing Rachel on the side. Who will Dex end up choosing in the end?!

My opinion:
I was looking for chick lit, and that is exactly what I got. Don't hold expectations that are too high for this book and then you won't be disappointed. No, it isn't a life changing novel or anything, but it is a pretty good read. Its a modern day romance novel with complicated love situations that you are just dying to know how they end. I did read it fairly quickly (let's face it, the writing is very straightforward and the plot is not complicated), but I enjoyed the book a lot. I am considering reading Something Blue later this summer, which is the follow up novel, told from the perspective of Darcy, a totally unsympathetic character. Should be interesting.

Book Review: The Other Hand aka Little Bee


found here

I bought this book back in the Summer of 2009 when I was in England. The bookstore was having a buy one get one half off sale and I really wanted to read "My Sister's Keeper," so I sprang for both. The back of the book intrigued me. I got "The Other Hand," which apparently is the UK title for the book. I picked it up, but never ended up finishing it. Then I hear all this buzz about a book called "Little Bee" and I think to myself, "That sounds familiar." Lo and behold, it's the same book! So I pick it up again, start reading it, and put it down without finishing it. Finally, last week after finishing "The Help," I decided that I just needed to finish the darn thing already. I started the book again from the beginning and I finally did it, I finished it.

Brief plot summary:
A Nigerian girl meets a wealthy British couple who are on a "holiday" in Nigeria one day. A traumatic event occurs and the British couple flee back home. Five years pass, and they hear from the Nigerian girl again. More traumatic events happen. The girl and the wife spend some time together. The novel ends with another traumatic event.

My opinion:
The back of the book told me that this story was unique, compelling, and one of a kind. I am assuming they put this on the back of the cover to get people to read it. Well played marketing department, well played. I enjoyed the first part of the book and felt that it was compelling. There is one part of the book that I found particularly insightful, when Little Bee is talking about scars and how they are beautiful because they meant that the person bearing them survived. It was pretty deep stuff. However, I felt supremely let down by the ending of the book. I felt like the book just sort of fizzled out and then I was left thinking "Was that it? The end of the book?!" Maybe I had too high of an expectation of the book because the back of the book was so intriguing: "We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is truly a special story and we don't want to spoil it[...] Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds." Who wouldn't be intrigued by that?! My overall rating of the book is a 3/5 because the book did hold me until the last few chapters!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Help: Book review

found here
I just finished this book last night and all I have to say is: wow! This book is over 500 pages long and I flew through it in less than 3 days. I started in when I was babysitting on Wednesday night and read almost half of it in less than 3 hours. I didnt have a whole lot of reading time on Thursday, but yesterday I babysat for most of the day and I devoured the rest of the book. I have heard of other people having similar experiences too!

Basic plot:
This book is told from the perspective of three different people: two African American maids (or "help") and one Caucasian woman. The book is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s, during the Civil Rights era. The premise of the book is that the white woman, Miss Skeeter, aspires to be a writer. At the onset of the novel she is part of the socialite group of white women who have help in their homes. Miss Skeeter begins to see the injustices of the "help" system. She decides she wants to write a book from the perspective of the help to share the stories of what it is really like to work in a white family's home. There is only one problem: she has no idea what is it like to work as the hired help. The book details her struggles to get the African American community to open up to her and share their stories, the good and the bad, of being the hired help.

My opinion:
I absolutely LOVED this book! Like I said, I just devoured it in a matter of days and now I wish I had taken more time with it! I thought the writing was phenomenal and the story was very unique. When the story is told from these different perspectives, Stockett takes on different dialects and you can distinctly hear each character's own voice. You laugh and cry along with the characters as you re-live the humorous and not so humorous tales of being the hired help. There was only one episode in the book that left me confused as to why it was even in there. It sort of felt like this episode was thrown in at random. You will recognize the scene when you see it! I feel like I know these three women after reading the book. Phenomenal read, go read it and tell me what you think!

Secret Life of Bees

Found here
I started to read this book back at the very beginning of the semester (I am a teacher, so yes, my life still is divided into semesters!), but I never was able to finish it! I must say that the first chapter or so of this book is less than compelling, but don't let that stop you from reading it! I started to read it at the beginning of the semester to see if it was something that I wanted my 9th graders to read. I stopped reading it because things got crazy and I wasn't drawn in by the first few pages. I picked it up again because I was stuck for ideas on my next novel. I devoured it after that!

A VERY basic plot summary:
Lily, a young white teenage girl, lives in South Carolina in the 60s. She ends up running away from home and taking her maid with her to escape their old life. Lily is in search of answers regarding her mother who died when Lily was very young. Her search brings her to a small town in South Carolina where she finds much more than the answers she was searching for.

Ok, so I dont want to give anything away, but its a great novel.

My opinion:
After the first chapter, I was drawn into the book. The characters are very realistic and lovable, the plot is compelling enough to make you want to read on to find out what happens next. My ninth graders are all absorbed in the book and love it. The only thing that I would say about this book is it is very much a feminine book. I offered my students two choices: Lord of the Flies (a very "boy" book) and Secret Life of Bees, and the class was divided into boys and girls with a few exceptions. I love how this book speaks to the power of female bonds. In that regard, I think it is a novel that every girl should read. I have yet to see the movie so I dont know how it compares, but I usually find the books far better than the movies!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

My first "big girl" job application

Today I have been working on many different things, but most important of which is my first big girl job application. I submitted my application to 17 different school districts today and I have about 20 more that I would like to submit my application to. Hopefully one of these applications will bear some fruit!

In an ideal situation, I would find a job locally and I would be able to stay with family for the first year or so in order to start knocking down some of those pesky student loans; however, at this point I am willing to take a job anywhere just to have one!

More updates to come!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Hello again blogging world!

I'm baaaack!

I have been super busy lately but things are about to calm down for awhile! For the last month I have been doing full-time student teaching and working on my final portfolio for grad school. Full time teaching ended on Monday and the portfolio was submitted tonight (due on Monday). For once in my life I can say that I didnt COMPLETELY procrastinate on something huge and submitted it before the last possible moment. Go me!

Full time teaching went well, but I am glad its over. I know that full-time teaching is what I will be doing for the rest of my life, but I wont be dealing with grad school at the same time. I did have some struggles with the classes that I picked up from my clinical teacher, but I anticipated that because she has had these students all year and not just this semester. These two classes didnt really see me as their teacher because they have been under her instruction all year long.

I'm not entirely too sure if my portfolio is what the college of education is exactly looking for, but it will have to do. Part of the reason that my portfolio was so annoying was because it was a pilot semester for a new portfolio and lucky me! I was chosen to participate in the pilot program. The expectations werent clearly defined from the beginning and it doesnt seem like anyone really knows whats going on, so I guess we will just have to see when it all is said and done!

Now it is onto job searches! (Yes, that is plural...) I need to find both a part time job for the summer, something like waitressing, and a career-job for the fall. Let the search begin!

Meredith is doing well and is as cute as ever!

I'm super ready for spring break!

I'm very ready to be done with grad school!

And... that's about it. I'm glad to be back blogging world- you'll see much more of me now. I will catch up on my project 52, I have about half of my pictures taken they just arent uploaded yet....

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Giveaway

I have (for the most part) stopped blogging about giveaways- but this one is quickly coming to a close and I love the blog that is giving it away! Meghan from Little Girl in the Big world is giving away a Stella and Dot necklace as well as a 25$ gift card to either Dunkin Donuts or Target. She is celebrating 100 followers and over 200 posts since she started blogging. I have been following Meghan's blog for several months now and I just feel like we have a lot in common, which is why I enjoy her blog so much! If you get a moment, go and check out her blog :)

Saturday, March 5, 2011

All over the place

I know its been awhile since I have actually taken the time to really BLOG- but life has been pretty crazy and when I get a spare moment I like to CRASH! So without further ado, here is a very random post to update on my life.

1. I sort of started running again. I have been like 5 times over the past two weeks, and I wanted to go today but I had a very strange pain in my foot. boo. I looked for a race to train for again and I found several that I feel are too soon to try for, but there is one in July that I could do either a 5k or a 10k. Obviously with that sort of time frame (approx 18 weeks), I would try for the 10k, but if all else fails I could always run the 5k? I think this is a very realistic goal. Once going over in my head, that means I would need to add a mile every 3 weeks- which is a VERY workable frame I think if I work at it. I'll play around with the idea a little bit more and get back to you.

2. I really need to do SOMETHING about my weight. I have an endocrinology appointment at the end of March to see what the heck is going on with me. Hopefully getting back to running will help, but I really think I need to be SUPER strick about what goes into my mouth and my liquid intake. I know I am not drinking enough water, I know that I eat things I probably shouldnt, but I have really been trying to be "good." I am just very afraid that if I dont find out what is going on and SOON that I will become diabetic or have a host of other problems that my family has a history of. I mean, I havent really GAINED any weight, but with the efforts that I have been putting into it, I havent LOST a whole lot either. A few pounds, but not enough to justify the means I guess.

3. My internship is in full swing. I spent my first full day alone-alone with the classes on Friday and I think it went well. I have one full week (out of three) under my belt. I have been exhausted this week, but not quite as badly as I would have anticipated. I have really started to tighten the reigns on my class that I have been working with this entire semester, but that is a post for another day.

4. I have started my teaching blog, but I think it will have to wait until this "full time" internship mess is over with to really get it started. If you would like to follow- the blog is here. I plan for this to be a blog to catalogue the funny moments, the challenges, the a-ha moments, and everything else that comes with the territory of being a teacher. I also plan to include some of my brilliant (if I do say so myself) plans. It should be good stuff.

5. I know I am super behind on posting my project 52 pics as well. I have some of the pictures taken, but I just havent had the time to upload them to my computer and all. Soon!

6. I am taking the praxis II next weekend for middle grades English- I really need to start studying!

I think that's about it right now-

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Compliments

Today I truly discovered the power of a compliment (or several). This morning as I was walking to my classroom, I had a teacher compliment my outfit and tell me that I looked "super cute" today. Now I didn't think that I looked particularly well put together today, but I think the fact that this teacher took the time out of her day to compliment my outfit added a bit of pep to my step today.
Then, this afternoon I attended an English Department meeting in which several teachers complimented my performance in my internship. Again, I want to say that I am by no means tooting my own horn or thinking that I am some sort of fabulous teacher-intern extrodinaire, but I can say what a difference these compliments and kind words can make. I feel good about myself, about my work, and about my impact here at NBH. I dont feel like some outsider coming in for a short while to complete a requirement for school and then high-tail it out of there, I feel like a part of the team. I have gotten some amazing ideas from the people that I work with and have shared some ideas. My input, my resources, and my abilities are appreciated and there is something to be said for feeling valued. It's nice to know that my clinical teacher is talking about me (and in a good way!), its nice to know that someone thinks that what I am doing is really neat, and it's nice to know that I have a network of support for those days that I am not quite feeling it.
So take an effort to compliment someone tomorrow. Take the chance to make someone else's day the way that these individuals have made mine today. You never know how great of an effect a kind word can have on someone.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

WHat I'm Loving Wednesday!

I know, I've been MIA lately. Life has been fairly busy and I am just plain TIRED all the time! Last weekend I spent the weekend creating a classroom management plan and fretting over my resume. Tomorrow I have an Education job fair and I am extremely nervous! Meredith also played houdini this weekend, but that's a story for another day! So without further ado....

What I'm loving Wednesday!


~ I'm LOVING that I am starting To Kill a Mockingbird with my students this week. I really love this book :)
~ I'm LOVING that I am getting ready to start my full time student teaching (all three classes) for the next three weeks. I may be fairly MIA for this time period, but then it will be over and I can BREATHE!
~ I'm LOVING my new skirt that I got from JCPenny's last night. I was actually looking for a business suit and failed horribly on THAT mission, but the skirt is uber cute so I'm cool with it.
~ I'm LOVING my poetry unit coming up. I am coming up with some EXCELLENT ideas for teaching poetry (If I do say so myself) and will be posting them soon on my teaching blog.
~ I'm LOVING that I ran for the first time in MONTHS on Saturday. I can't wait to go again!
and as always,
~ I'm LOVING my family, friends, and my sweet pupster Meredith

Monday, February 14, 2011

I thought I was over this?!?

This weekend I was sick sick sick. I felt grose on Friday during school: I kept sneezing, my nose was running, my throat felt foggy, and I was just overall blah. I went home to take a nap on Friday afternoon to try to shake it. I felt OK by the time I woke up so I went to my sister's house for dinner and a movie. On my way there, I was super duper excited to find this:
the official drink of summer in England. I have been jonesing for some Pimms since I came back from England in 2009 and just now discovered that they sell it here in the States! Its good stuff, so you should try it if you get the chance. Look up drink recipes for it online.

Saturday I felt terrible all day long. I managed to get my oil changed in my car, but that was about it. Sunday I worked in the morning and was fairly productive in the afternoon. I cleaned my car, made a test for my students, did some research, cleaned my room, took a nap, read, picked out my outfits for the week, and went grocery shopping. I was impressed with my productivity!

Recently I have been implementing different "time savers" or maybe a better term would be "stress relievers" or "making Hilary's life better practices" into my days. I have successfully implemented the whole picking out all my outfits for the week thing on Sunday nights. This saves me a LOT of time and a LOT of headache during the week. I have even noticed that I look more professional and put together. In the four weeks that I have done this, I have YET to wear an outfit twice- quite an improvement from my old standby outfits! I really wish that I had done the 30 for 30 challenge this time because I actually think I could have been successful in my endeavors! The second thing that I have done is starting to make my lunch for the day the night before. This way, I am not scrambling around looking for something to eat in the morning and my meals are usually healthier!
I still have a few practices/things that I would like to do
1. I want to come up with new hairstyles to wear. I feel like my hair is so blah all the time. I have a few things that I do with it on a normal basis and would like have a few more standby things to do,
2. I want to make working out an integral part of my day- not something that happens by chance. I want to start running outside again. I want to go to the gym more!
3. I want to have specified reading time for my own reading pleasure- not stuff related to school. I love literature and I have a bunch of bookshelves stuffed to the gills with books, many of which I have never read! Time to get crackin!

I think thats it for now- we'll see where I'm at when I master these goals!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

What I'm loving Wednesday!

Another link up with Jamie over at This Kind of Love!

~ I am LOVING my internship and how well its going.
~ I am LOVING my students and how they make me smile every single day.
~ I am LOVING that I had a restful weekend this weekend.
~ I am LOVING that I am coming up with some great ideas for lesson plans.
~ I am LOVING that I am approximately 133 days away from a Master's Degree in Teaching.
~ I am LOVING that my gym has recently expanded and they have some really awesome new equipment.
~ I am LOVING my family and friends.
and as always,
~ I am LOVING my sweet dog Mere (who has a vet appointment today!)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

A Wee Bit of Spring

It has been raining a LOT here lately. It feels like it has been doing nothing but raining and being overcast for the last two weeks. The entire yard is dead, but I found this ONE spot where the grass is starting to turn back to green. I can feel spring coming!

Monday, February 7, 2011

I HEART accessories swap



I received my I HEART accessories swap package from the lovely Dana over at Enjoy Yourself on Wednesday and I was THRILLED to see the contents. It's like Dana knew my taste and knew what to get for me. Since it is late and I have had a VERY long day today, I will post the pictures I took of the items, but I wont do any editing to the pics. I also dont have any pics of me wearing the accessories, but trust me I have! I wore the bracelets several times last week and the necklace went so perfectly with my outfit today!

My first item is a lovely set of three bracelets that can be worn together or separated. They have these adorable brushed metal flowers on them and I have gotten so many compliments on them!




And the next thing was this cute necklace! I love the colors in the necklace and they really made my outfit *pop* today.

I seriously need to start taking pictures of some of my outfits. I am doing SO much better at creating fun outfits and using more pieces in my closet now that I am planning out my outfits ahead of time on Sunday (like I plan Monday through Friday on Sunday night) instead of waiting until the last minute in the morning. I think I look more professional and put together too... bonus!

Ok I will catch up more tomorrow, but for now- SLEEP!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Project 52: Ennui

Tonight I saw the perfect opportunity to complete my project 52 photo for this week. Meredith was lounging in the living room floor next to her friend Holly, but she just looked so bored! She would much rather be outside frolicking around but its pitch black outside! Without further ado...

See list of topics here
Next week's topic: red

Just a few thoughts....

~ I am thinking about starting a teaching blog to archive some of my lesson/classroom ideas. I think this would be a good way to have a place to come back to for a refresher on some of my finer ideas and hopefully serve as an inspiration for other teachers who may be struggling or need a small dose of inspiration. Thoughts?

~ I have nothing on the books this weekend and I LOVE it! I am going to use this weekend to hone some of my lesson plans, work on my resume, work on my portfolio, and relax with the pupster- all while watching movies and/or Friends. It should be a productive, yet restful weekend. I may even have a sleepover with my little cousin Jon because he has been asking and asking me to have a sleepover. We'll see how that goes!

~ The more I am here, the more I like the high school that I am at. I am really getting into the groove of things here, meeting new teachers and forging professional relationships with the faculty and staff this semester.

~ Last night I tasked my Dad with making me something similar to those office mailboxes for my classroom. I have seem them as a way of organizing, passing back papers, and keeping materials in the classroom in several classrooms and I.want.some! Granted, he has time because I won't have my own classroom until at least August (and hopefully that is the latest!), but I want to get him started on it so he can make them to my exact specifications :)

~ I want to plan a vacation for the end of this semester or the end of my program (about a month and a half apart). I dont know where I will go or who will come with me, but I want to go somewhere!

~ I received my I Heart Accessories package yesterday and I love it! I can't wait to post about my goodies and link up with other swappers!

I think that's it for now!

One Year Anniversary

Today is me and Mere's one year anniversary! One year ago today my sweet puppy came into my life. Some days it feels like it was just yesterday, but other days feel like it has been forever since I have had her. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I woke up without her paws propped up on my chest, tongue licking arm, face, neck, or whatever she can reach.

So in honor of our one year anniversary (ok, I may be lame, but bear with me), I thought I would write about all of the things that I LOVE about my dog. She really is like my child at this point in my life, giving me unconditional love and companionship. She actually got me through a pretty tough time in my life when I had all but given up on my dreams of being a teacher and hope of doing anything productive in my life. She was there with me through a rough break up. She was there with me through the transition from college to back home to grad school, and she will continue to be there for me for many years to come.

~ I love how excited she gets when I come home (with like her entire body shaking as her tail wags back and forth)
~ I love her sweet puppy kisses (she will always be a puppy to me!)
~ I love how she curls up into a ball to go to sleep
~ I love how she wakes me up in the morning, by pouncing and licking me until I wake up
~ I love how I can depend on her to really wake me up in the morning when the alarm on my phone isnt enough incentive!
~ I love how she brings out every.single.one of her toys when she wants to play with me. It's like she cant decide what she wants to play with and is so excited that its all just too much!
~ I love how gentle she is with kiddos
~ I love how playful and fiesty she is
~ I love how sociable she is with other dogs and humans
~ I love how everyone falls in love with her and think that I have a super awesome dog!
~ I love how eager she is to go for walks with me
~ I love how she makes sure that I go to bed on time, and if I don't she will nag me until I do. She knows when it is bedtime!
~ I love how good of a cuddler she is
~ I love all of her weird mannerisms
~ I love that she has a pretty sit and a regular sit. Her pretty sit is for when she is trying to get something out of me!

I'm pretty sure there are more, but that would just be overkill haha. So, I promise I will stop now and leave you with this fierce looking (crappy phone) picture of Meredith playing with her friend Maggie. I promise Meredith isn't really a killer dog...

Teacher Talk Thursday


I am linking up with Snyder Stories this week in the "Teacher Talk Thursday." I was so excited to see this link up start up last week, but I dont have a classroom of my own quite yet so I had no awesome organizational tips to share. This week, the theme is "Show and Tell" and THIS I can do :) My Show and Tell is geared more towards high school because, well, thats what I teach, but I can still play along!

Last year, I was working with 10th graders. In North Carolina, 10th grade is the year that students focus on writing because they have a standardized writing test at the end of the year. I let my 10th graders watch "The Freedom Writers" and read them a few excerpts from the actual book to inspire them to get creative with their writing. As an extension to the movie, I gave them an outline of a person. On the outside of the person, the students were to write 5 prejudices/outside forces that could negatively affect their lives. On the inside of the person, the students were to write 7 things that they LOVED about who they were. Some of them turned out great!

This one isn't much in the way of color per-se, but the student obviously put a lot of thought into the assignment!





I'm looking forward to other people's show and tell. Even though most of the participants are elementary school teachers, I still got some great ideas last week!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

What I'm loving Wednesday!




This is my second week linking up with Jamie for "What I'm loving Wednesday." I think this is a great way to reflect on all of the GOOD things that are in your life, especially in the middle of the week when everyone is kind of dragging!

~ I am LOVING that I took the time to go away this weekend, even if it was just for a change of pace.
~ I am LOVING that my little cousin Jon has suddenly really started to "miss" me when I am gone from the house. He is such a cutie, when he wants to be!

~ I am LOVING that I decided to pick out ALL of my outfits for the week so that in the morning I just take it off the hangar and go!
~ I am LOVING how excited my puppy is to see me when I get home, it makes me feel so loved :)
~ I am LOVING that Mere had so much fun at the dog park this weekend and was loved by all who met her this weekend- she really is like the cutest dog ever!


~ I am LOVING that my students think that I am absolutely crazy, but that they really seem to be learning and liking my class so far.
~ I am LOVING that I found a tutorial to make fabric rosettes for hair pins, head bands, etc. I cant wait to try it~
~ I am LOVING that I have severely limited my facebook and TV time this past week, and I dont really miss either one.
~ And, as always, I am loving my family, friends, and sweet pupster!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Weekend recap

This weekend I went to Raleigh to relax, visit friends, and have a little bit of a change of pace. I was completely lame and didnt take any pictures. I seriously need to work on the whole picture-taking thing.

Friday I drove up to Raleigh with Mere Bear in tow. I met my friend Amanda at her apartment and we went out to dinner at the Village Draft House. I had this delicious portobello pita with sauteed peppers and onions- it was sooo good! Later that night we went out to meet some friends from high school that were in the area and we went out to a couple of different places.

Amanda had to work for most of the day on Saturday so I lounged around for the day, took Mere to the dog park, and just enjoyed having the day off. Meredith used to LOVE going to the dog park, but I guess she has gotten quite used to being Queen B around the house (being the youngest of the dogs that hang around) and wasn't so sure about the dog park at first. I guess since it has been like 8 months since she has had that interaction with THAT many dogs, but she warmed up to it eventually. I think I am going to have to research doggy daycares and take her like once a month or so to doggy day care to get used to being around other animals that DONT live in our house.

Anyways, Saturday night we hung out with my old roommate Katy and watched the movie "Grown Ups." Sunday was pretty laid back and I left mid-afternoon to take Mere back to the dog park and then drive home. I know it doesnt SOUND like a fabulous weekend but I think it was just what the doctor ordered!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Currently Reading...

I have two books that I am working on- The Secret Life of Bees and Animal Farm. I am actually really surprised that I havent read animal farm yet with as much reading as I do, but I just have never picked it up! So far its been a pretty fast read. I started it at the gym yesterday when I was on the elliptical and went through the first part of it pretty quickly.


I am considering teaching The Secret Life of Bees to my 9th graders after they finish up their unit on Anthem, but I actually have to read it first before I make that decision :) I started this the other night before bed and didnt even get out of the first chapter because I was so tired that I fell asleep, but that is no indication of the worth of the book! I know that there is a movie based on this book, has anyone seen it? Is it any good?

Stay tuned for updates when I finish these books! I am also working on a post about other books that I have read lately, but it will be a few days before that one is up!

What are you reading lately?

Lockdown!

Today at my internship we had a lockdown... for 2.5 hours. When it started, we all thought it was a drill; when the lockdown lasted... and lasted... and lasted, we knew that it was in fact NOT a drill. No, there wasnt a crazy inside the school that I was in but there was a prank caller to the school and they took it very seriously. I am glad that the situation wasn't serious in the sense that there was real, bonafide danger, but I am very annoyed at the fact that I had to sit in the floor, miss my planning period, and deal with students who weren't taking the lockdown seriously. Even after it was announced that this was a real situation, the students didnt seem to think it was a big deal. I am, however, very grateful that everything turned out OK and that no one was hurt.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

What I'm loving Wednesday!

his is my first link up with Jamie over at This Kind of Love, but I've seen this weekly posting over the past several weeks and decided that today is the day!!


  • I'm loving my internship! I have an awesome clinical teacher, I am at an awesome school, and I have awesome students. I am sure that my students will think that I am absolutely CRAZY after the lesson that I have planned for this afternoon's class, but that's ok- you have to keep them on their toes!!
  • I'm loving my family.
  • I'm loving my sweet puppy dog Meredith Grace
    • I'm loving that I have a trip to Raleigh planned for this weekend to see all of my MCG's (Meredith College Girls for all of you who aren't familiar with that acronym).

    • I'm loving my new professional dresses and my new boots I bought last week. I will have to take pictures of them and share them, seriously!
    • I'm loving the LeanCuisine microwave steam bags that I found last night at the grocery store. They look de-lish!
    And that's all that I can think about right now!

    What are you loving this week?!