SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW

Ack.

Writing this at school. Hoping to get out of here in t-minus several seconds.

Well: I am nervous. But I LOVE that I am here for year 2 instead of year 1. And you know what--? I am LUCKY to be here, working, doing what I love. I don't take that for granted. As stressful as these moments are, it's so good to remember that this is a big, fat blessing.

I created this Facebook album called "Thank You Notes," and most of the pictures are just pictures I've taken on walks or with friends. Underneath each picture, I've written a "thank you" for what the picture is of, like, "Thank you for ice cream on hot summer days." "Thank you for roses that are perfectly in bloom." "Thank you for slow lazy mornings with my roommate."

I created the album on a whim, but it's influenced my psyche in a really cool way-- every time I take a picture now, I think of what the caption would be if it was in the "Thank You Notes" album.

Tonight, looking around my decorated classroom, I think, "Thank you for my view of the courtyard. Thank you for art on the walls. Thank you for the pictures from my road trip. Thank you for working computers, and for the names on my class lists. Thank you that tomorrow I'll be able to start RECOGNIZING these kids. Thank you for my full file drawers that are packed with the resources I created last year. Thank you for a big class room. Thank you that I get to do what I love."

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Pictures to come later, once the kids contribute to what's on the walls. Right now, I'm savoring the moment for myself. In this harried, frenzied, tired, stressed moment-- there is succulent thanks to savor.

Cave Falls; Bechler; Yellowstone Park

With Nicole.

People are making/breaking my life these days. Mostly making it. But seriously-- a waterfall on its own is a beautiful thing. A waterfall with a friend? Well, that's a picture worth framing.

I always call Nicole my bad-ass friend. She's a ranger in Yellowstone, and completely hard-core. We were travel buddies in Europe, and I love her times infinity.

Life is best when shared, isn't it? I'm so lucky to have good people to share it with.

Wait---

Split second.

Joshua Tree Park, 108 degrees.

At Last

A half hour out of Montrose, CO.

This pic was taken on the same day as the previous blog's picture. My goal on this day was to get to Denver, but the 3:30am wake up time meant I was dying by 4:30pm. I kept passing stream after cool stream, and more than anything, I wanted to get in them somehow. Finally, around 5:00 I called Annie and told her I just didn't have the stamina for five more hours of driving. She called her family friends in Montrose-- the wonderful, wonderful Claders-- and arranged for me to stay there.

So I stopped at the very next stream.

And got out of my car.

And breathed.

And played.

And sometimes, I think, breathing and playing makes all the difference in the world.

Infinity

Early morning, driving from the Grand Canyon through Arizona along the 89, to the 160.

I tried to catch a sunrise in the desert on this particular morning, and got up at 3:30am. I didn't make it to the desert in time, but made it to this sun-swept field when the sun was still in its baby years. I saw horses grazing in the gold, and felt stunned at the way the light lit up the world. I took picture after picture, running from place to place with a floating heart while my Honda purred on the shoulder.

Let morning be eternal; let me remember this dancing moment. Let me remember that, at my furthest point away from home, I was already experiencing something of a wonderful, open, shimmering, eternal abode.

This picture makes me feel free.

Road Trip Pics

I've tried. I have a blog half-written with at least 15 road trip pictures uploaded. But it's just taking way, waaaay too long to go through them all, sort them all, and caption them all on this blog, when they're already all up on facebook.

So I'll do one a day. Or maybe a couple. I'll post in bits until all the good ones are posted. And maybe, if I have time to tell you a story behind the pics, I will. And if I don't, I won't.

In any case, this is the moment I want to remember right now:




En route to Denver. The day was warm and I was sleepy. Looked for a spot of shade to nap in and found one under a pine tree next to a wide open field. There were mountains in the distance and wildflowers at my fingertips. I slept, and was safe, and felt cradled in impossible beauty.

New Beginnings

Just thought--

Every day, something is different. Every day: something is new.

A hair has fallen out, and you're different. You receive news, and you're changed. A memory surfaces, and you're altered. You try something you never have before, and you're transformed.

You pray, and you're lighter.

Nothing is static-- the light is constantly shifting, the molecules in our world are constantly rearranging. NOTHING is stuck-- nothing is impervious, or impenetrable, or permanent. We are floating on an insistent current of change and newness, and fight it we might, but it will pull us along. We are something that has never yet existed before, born every minute.

As I prepare to go back to school this September, I find myself thinking, "A new year-- a new beginning."

And yet, I am brand new in this moment. Already, I am beginning. I can cross the threshold into all the resolutions yet fulfilled, and dream of realizing them in this next second.

Begin--

Serendipitous Baking

THIS JUST HAPPENED.

Had started to make brownies when realized, GASP, AGAHST, there were no eggs in the entirety of our abode. THERE WERE NO EGGS FOR BROWNIES. Ran upstairs to knock on Trevor The Landlord's door so that I could ask him for one, but there was no answer. Even though I hear footsteps on the ceiling right this very minute, which means someone is HOME there was no answer. (But I do not suspect Trevor The Landlord, because he is very nice. Rather, I suspect Amanda the New Girl who is untried, and therefore, treacherous.)

What to do???

BROWNIES BROWNIES BROWNIES!

Then-- idea! Epiphany! I could ask a neighbor to borrow an egg! That is what they used to do in the olden times!

I put on my frilly apron so that I would be extra-believable.

I TRIED SO MANY NEIGHBORS' DOORS, AND NO ONE ANSWERED.

I started grumpily thinking, "I don't want to live in a country where a girl in a very convincing apron can't even borrow an egg from her own neighbor."

Then, two oldish people came out of a house that I thought was vacant. What?? Neighbors in plain view! I yelled out, "Oh! Thank goodness! Hello!" and they looked at me with indubitable befuddlement.

"Hello! I live in the house two doors down. I started baking brownies, but then I realized I didn't have an egg. Is there any way--"

"Oh, we don't live here," the woman said. "We just rent this place out, it's vacant."

"Ooooh," I said. (Woeful.) (Crestfallen.) "Well..." (Lugubrious.) "Thank you anyway."

"Wait..." the man said. "You need eggs?"

I turned back. A ray of light? A glimmer of hope? Peace for the middle-east? "I just need ONE egg," I said.

He grinned and slowly waggled his finger at me. "I may have a solution..." And he started walking to his car.

What on earth??

"We're on our way to a dinner party," the woman explained with a smile-- she, decked head to toe in vibrant mint green. "And, we're bringing eggs."

Who brings raw eggs to a dinner party??

But sure enough, the oldish man opened his trunk, pulled out a tiny cooler, and slowly, deliberately... revealed a cardboard carton. With great aplomb and a final flourish, he pulled out the solution to all of my problems and gave me... AN EGG.

"Thank you SO much!!" I said, totally delighted. "I can bake my brownies now!"

I CAN BAKE MY BROWNIES NOW!

"And by the way..." he said. "Great apron."

So this is why I like my life today.

How to Live like an Anthro Girl on a Target Budget

(An instruction guide.)

Let's say you have realized that your collection of fabulous dangly earrings has overwhelmed your little pink jewelry box.


This arrangement is decidedly inconvenient, most especially for your roommates, who have difficulty finding just the right pair to borrow as they're sprinting out the door to work.

SO: you decide you should invest in one of those screen-door-picture-frame-y things, like you've seen offered at Urban or Anthro. HOWEVER, since you know it's absurd to invest $40 on something that would probably not suit your exact needs anyway, you should probably try to make one yourself.

It's the 21st-century, girlfriend. Get out your hammer.

STEP ONE:

Pay a visit to your local friendly thrift store, and find a cool picture frame.


Never mind the creepy green-ish girls who currently inhabit the picture frame. You'll be getting rid of them imminently. In fact, let's make that our step two.

STEP TWO:
Get rid of the creepy greenish girls. To do this, you'll need to pry up the staples on the back of the picture frame. With what, you ask? You might feel inspired to try a steak knife first. That won't work. You might feel compelled to try a fork next; this attempt will also be totally ineffective. This blogger recommends you abandon the cutlery altogether, and work with a nail and hammer to get under the staples and pry them up.


You can do this in a sundress by the way. Also, you should probably take cheese and cracker breaks.


(Cheese and crackers do wonders for a woman's fortitude.)

STEP THREE:
Once you've got enough staples pried up, you can knock the greenish girls out by force. It's okay if you want to grunt and make ferocious sounds.


Make sure you take a moment to revel in your success.


STEP 4:
Get out the wire screen you already purchased at the hardware store.


You showed especial foresight at the hardware store by using their wire cutters to cut holes for the picture hanging loops to fit through. Nice work thinking ahead!


Lay the wire screen across the picture frame, and prepare to nail it down.

STEP 5:
Now, if you have a staple gun, this would be the time to get it out. However, if you do NOT have a staple gun, you'll need to make do with what the hardware-store-lady recommended you try instead:


I forget what these are called, but they're basically thick staples that you're supposed to be able to hammer into wood.

However, at this point, you will discover that these lame-o hammer-staples DON'T hammer into wood. In fact, they get all bendy and crooked.

Prepare to get reeeeally frustrated by all the stupid lame-o bendy staple things. You will probably need to make many unsuccessful attempts.


LOOK at these stupid things! They don't even start OFF straight! Their ends are different lengths, they start off splayed, and the metal is as soft as a paper clip!


SEE?


At this point, you should give yourself a hard time for not owning a staple gun.

STEP SIX:
Okay, that's enough pouting. Time to figure out another approach. Try hammering in the staple-thingy just far enough for it to make two little dents in the wood.


Then use a nail and hammer to create deeper holes where the staple-points need to go.


Be careful when you're pulling the nail back out of the wood though. Don't fling it. STOP FLINGING THE NAIL!

After you've made the two holes, try hammering in the staple-things again. It'll work better, but if you're still muttering curse words, God would understand.


Ooo, good one.

Kay, now do that a whole bunch.

STEP SHAMEFUL:
You may be tempted to radio out for help.


Stop that!! Pull yourself together woman! You can do this!! Persevere!

It's okay to take juice breaks though. You're probably sort of sweaty by now.


STEP SEVEN:
Since the staple-thingies really ARE pretty ineffective, you should reinforce the wire screen with thumb tacks.


You're so resourceful, handy-girl. I admire you so.

And now: LOOK! You've done it!


STEP EIGHT:
All that's left is to hang it on the wall, and fill it with the afore-mentioned danglies!


And now, you have an entirely unique, entirely functional jewelry-hanger-slash-piece-of-wall-art, for an entirely reasonable sum of money.



Nice work, chickie. I never doubted your success for a second.