Thing 5: Climb Mt. Monadnock

I've been talking about climbing Mt. Monadnock for years. People insisted that it was an easy hike...that kids clamber up it all the time (they do). It is one of the most climbed mountains in the world and I wanted to add my name to the list. On a Saturday afternoon, I decided that I would tackle the mountain the following morning. I packed a backpack with the essentials: bug spray, sun screen, tons of water, snacks, and a first aid kid. (I like to be prepared!)

As Mt. Monadnock is over an hour drive from my house I woke up super duper early so I could get their by 8:00 am. I was psyched!

 I drove though lots of fog on the way to the state park but as I got closer, the fog cleared and the mountain stood ahead of me. I gasped aloud when Mt. Monadnock first came in to view. It was a serious mountain. Suddenly, I was not so confident.

But I sprayed myself down with sunscreen and bug spray and headed off into the woods. My brand new hiking boots got dirty so quickly. (Did I mention I was doing a 2 mile round trip hike in brand new boots?)

At first the path was rocky but gradual. I was all, "I've got this."

And then it quickly turned into a rock climbing expedition. Kids were scampering up the rock faces and men were running down. But I just climbed slowly like a sloth.

I kept waiting for the "half-way" sign and eventually found it. I took a LONG break underneath that sign. I spent some time contemplating if I could really continue. It was taking me much longer than I anticipated and it was disgustingly hot. But I told myself that I didn't drive all the way there to climb to the half way point. So I continued on and soon passed the tree line.

A girl who walked by joked to her family that it was "Billy Goat" time. She wasn't kidding. I sat (in the sun) underneath this rock wall trying to figure out how I was going to scale it.

But the views were spectacular. And I had only just passed the tree line. There was a lot more to go!

I kept climbing and climbing but I was quickly running out of water. It was 90 degrees out and I could feel my shoulders burning as there was no more shade. I stopped at the false summit for a snack and took in the views. The breeze was amazing!

A little ways past the false summit, I took a break to assess the situation. I wanted to climb and climb until I reached the summit. I could see people crowded up on the summit and it looked so close yet so far. But the thing about climbing a mountain is that you still have to climb back down. I was exhausted and overheated and was quickly running out of water. So as much as I wanted to reach the summit, I decided it would be smarter to head back down.

Because of all the vertical rock walls I had to scale on the way up, I decided to take the "easy" way down. Haha...easy is a relative term.

Going down the mountain was the worst part of the hike. My quads were trashed and my knees didn't like the jarring rock steps. I felt like I walked down hill forever and ever. It felt like I'd never reach the parking lot. I was not impressed.

I finally reached the parking lot and headed straight for the air conditioned gift shop. I bought a super cold bottle of water which I downed immediately because I had run out on the way down. I was so dirty by the time I got to my car.

And I couldn't WAIT to take my hiking boots off and let my toes breathe.

Although I didn't reach the summit, I am so proud of myself for what I was able to accomplish. I finally set out to do something instead of just talking about it. Yes, I should have picked a cooler day and worn more sunscreen, but I am glad that I persevered and made smart decisions. I will definitely have to revisit Mt. Monadnock in the near future and hike to the summit.

Things I Learned Today

• Today's full moon is a harvest moon. Apparently every full moon in September is called a harvest moon. Moreover, every month's full moon has a specific name. 

• Karma is a REAL thing. Exhibit A: Student K is flailing around in her chair upside down and kicks the boy next to her in the head. Two hours later she is once again flailing around and goes face first over the back of her chair....then to the nurse.

• Most countries don't call the number 1,000,000,000 a billion. Incidentally, this is what a million cows look like. 

• These are a thing:

• It is physically possible to go to Target with a list of three things and leave with only three things...I KNOW RIGHT?!?!

• HTML coding is not simple but Google helps.

• I can't be bothered to download iOS7. I prefer to live in the dark ages.

• It takes 20 minutes to help 11 preschoolers brush their teeth. (This is a scientific study done by myself over the course of two days while covering lunch in a preschool classroom.)

I've Been Watching Too Much Breaking Bad

I know this because when walking back to my car carrying a small paper bag I'm afraid a cop is going to pull up along side me and I'll be all, "It's only ice cream officer!" I apparently have a guilty conscience...or am paranoid.

Because of Breaking Bad I now think that all of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada is only desert and blue sky (and drug cartels).

At the beginning of almost every episode I'm all, "What the hell is going on?" and by the end I'm like, "I have to see the next episode NOW!".

I'm now into season 3 and will quickly finish what is left on Netflix so I looked to see when the new and last season would start and I have to wait until Summer 2013! What if the Mayans are right and the world ends in December? Then I'll never get to see how it ends. #The horror!

FYI: If you're interested in breaking into the meth business, Thought Catalog has a wonderful how-to.

 

Toothpaste Teamwork

Today we did our first "science" experiment. The purpose was merely to just do something that required teamwork and problem solving without the kidlets getting totally out of control. Their job was simple. First, take turns squeezing every single bit of toothpaste out of the toothpaste tube.

When you think you have all the toothpaste out, roll up the tube and squeeze out some more. At this point our classroom was smelling minty fresh!

Then came the tricky part. Using only one toothpick for the entire group, they had to get all of the toothpaste back INTO the tube.

It got very messy, very quickly. There was toothpaste residue on the tables and the sink and the soap and the kids. At this point, the smell in the room had gone from minty fresh to nauseating. I had to put the trash out in the hallway because of the smell!

The point of the experiment was to provide a concrete example of what happens when you say mean things to others. Once you put something out there, you can never really take it back. 

#Life lesson of the day.

#Then a kid asked me what hoeing was.

    

4 > 1.5

Dear Mom,

Although this may seem like a public critique of your ability to cut hair, it is not.  What it is, is further evidence of my poor decision making skills.

XOXO,
Amy

___________________________________

In terms of my hair, I did not win the genetic lottery.  Everyday Mom has super thick, straight hair.  Everyday Dad has thin and almost curly hair.  I was blessed with thin, almost curly but not quite, super puffy hair.  I say puffy because although my hair has the illusion of volume, it is merely air between the strands.

Evidence of curly:

Curls turning to puff:

In my adult life, I've never had long hair.  I let my hair grow and grow for what feels like forever then it just sort of stops.  Because it is so thin, it just doesn't look nice long.

Up until yesterday, my hair was as long as it has been for quite a while.  I don't have a photo and it's too late to take one now!  I entrusted Everyday Mom to give me a trim.  The idea was to keep the length but get rid of the split ends. 

When I asked for 1.5 inches off, Everyday Mom heard:

Hello short hair...it's been a while:

But as Everyday Dad said...it is a renewable resource.  It will grow back and I will inevitably cut it short again.

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG!

One year ago today I took a deep breath and posted the following to the interwebs:

Where to begin...I suppose with the name. "Zero Ducks in a Row" pretty much sums up my life right now. Up until this week I taught 4th grade until my principal decided that even though I tried my best I suck at teaching and thus no longer have a job.

So I am back to square one with any career plans and I am beginning to think that I will never make it as a teacher. That sounds like I am trying to do something spectacular like be a show girl or president but come on already...all I want to do is stand in front of kids and impart some wisdom upon them. Is that really too much to ask?

Currently I am harboring many anxieties about my future. I am on summer vacation but I have no future plans for any aspect of my life. This blog is an attempt to record and inspire(?) change in my life.

 

So here's to finding some ducks and forcing them to sit in a row.

  ________________________

I was in a very negative head space as (what I thought to be) my dream job was pulled out from under me and it seemed that there was only myself to blame.  An entire year has passed and unfortunately, not much has changed in the job department.  I began substituting and I continue to send out job applications to what feels like every school in the state of Massachusetts.  But in the past year, I have (mostly) come to terms with the fact that the economy is more to blame for my unemployment than myself.  I still fall asleep at least 3 nights a week thinking about what I could have done differently.  But I am sure hoping that finding a new job will put the thoughts of self-doubt to rest.

 

Throughout this past year I learned:

That a job isn't and shouldn't be your life. 

That I'm a hot mess in the kitchen...and love every minute of it.

That it's never too late to make wonderful new friends.

That I love being crafty and making things.
That making goals is easy...but achieving them is harder.
 

In a year this blog has gone through as many changes as I have.  It began as Zero Ducks in a Row, which although more Google friendly, didn't really represent where I wanted to go with all of this (whatever this is).  As Everyday A, the blog went through many a face lift but has finally found itself.

 

Blogging has become a hobby that very few people aside from other bloggers appreciate and understand...but I don't care...I LOVE IT!  I've rediscovered a love of writing and I've found an outlet that lets me record and share my daily happenings in a way that is comfortable and convenient.  I've always had the desire to keep a journal but I've never been able to keep up with it.  I would become conscious of how I structured a sentence, when I used the wrong word, my penmanship and if I made an error.  (Yes. I am a tad neurotic...tell me you aren't surprised by that.)  Writing a blog allows me to get my thoughts down quickly, to backspace, to delete, to use a thesaurus, and to share things with lovely people who I can't see as often as I'd like.

So here's to the next year!

P.S. If you know me, you know that I absolutely used my 1st Blog Birthday as an excuse to bake cupcakes.  Update soon because obviously I forgot to buy butter so I have to run back to the store.  #File under: Story of my life.

  

A is for Awkward

Fun Fact:  I have no social skills. 

Let me rephrase...I have very limited social skills.  For example, let's say (hypothetically) that this conversation happened tonight (it did).

L:  Your blog is so funny.  I read it all the time.
A:  Thanks!  I'm glad you like it. <--- This is what I should have said. 

Instead, I said:
A:  Oh.  It hasn't been funny lately and at least once a week I want to give up.
L:  (taken off guard by my complete lack of ability to appropriately respond to a compliment) I guess you could do that.

Then the conversation thankfully switched back to discussion of sewing taffeta and chiffon flowers...hypothetically.

Is my conversational awkwardness a product of poor early socialization?  (If so I blame my parents.)  Do I have some type of Turrets where negative things come out of my mouth at inopportune moments?  (I hope not.)  Am I insecure to the point where I reject any form of compliment?  (Probably.)  Is my hermit-like lifestyle affecting my conversation skills?  (Ummmm....)

For the time being, I'm going to chalk this social blunder up to my surprise that people actually read this silly blog of mine.  All I can say is that in terms of editing what I say, written communication > verbal communication at least 83% of the time (because of that whole backspace button).

Blending With Amy

Happy National Donut Day!

I decided to make a strawberry & banana smoothie instead. 

1.5 handfuls frozen strawberries
1 banana
3 ice cubes
1 vanilla Dannon Light and Fit
(Rumor has it you can add spinach to the smoothie and when blended it becomes masked.  Hidden greens?  Yes please.)

Blend till it resembles a smoothie. 

P.S. If the strawberries are not blending DO NOT stick a wooden spoon into the blender to push them down while you are blending. #file under life lesson

Verdict: Yummy but a bit too much banana.  (Banana is one of those foods whose taste overpowers everything else.)

Hope you are all having a beautiful Friday! 

What are your weekend plans?

 

The Death of a Dream

Way back when I was a sophomore in college I had a dream.  Not the Martin Luther King kind...it was more of a pipe dream.  As my roommate E can attest, my dream was to pen a super sappy heartfelt and moving novel that would be welcomed into Oprah's Book Club with eager arms (obv. propelling me to fame and fortune).

But today that dream must die.  Not only have I not written said novel but the demise of Oprah (as we know it) is upon us.  Today marks her last show and thus the death of a dream.

Let's pause for a moment of silence.


   

Things I Probably (Most Definitely) Should Have Learned Before I Did, But Learned The Hard Way Instead

Way back in August I wrote about "Things I Probably (Most Definitely) Should Have Learned Before I Did."  Today I bring you the follow up: "Things I Probably (Most Definitely) Should Have Learned Before I Did, But Learned The Hard Way Instead."

1. How to eat a grapefruit. When I worked in the Lex. we had new fruit Thursday. (A lot of the students I worked with had sensory issues and couldn't/wouldn't eat a variety of foods.) Every Thursday a parent would send in a different fruit and all the kids would try it. Because of my schedule I was usually the one to cut up the fruit. We tried apples and grapes and watermelon and kiwi.

Grapefruit day came. I assumed grapefruits were just bigger, more sour oranges so I set out to peel it like an orange. To this day I don't know what went wrong. It may have been extra ripe or perhaps I didn't have a gentle touch, but the grapefruit disintegrated into a juicy, pulpy mess. It dripped down my arms and onto the floor and I was sticky for the rest of the day. (I later learned it is easiest to halve a grapefruit and scoop it out.)

2. How to wash a blender. Yesterday I picked up a blender at my parent's house but it was gross so I decided to wash it.  At the bottom of the blender are some knife-like blades. Surely they come out for washing...right?

Well I unscrewed the base, and the blade part just would not come out...so I figured it didn't.  I went about washing the blender being as careful as possible.  (Amy + sharp things = disaster...always.)  I managed to jab the tip of a finger (only one) into the blades and started bleeding.  Luckily my dad got home right as I started bleeding and showed me that the blade does, in fact, come out.  (To my credit the blade was really stuck.)

Dad: 1

Blender: 1

Amy: 0

Deep Thoughts Thursday

Note:  Because of an email from V, I have been reminded that I wrote this but never posted it.  It warrants a new label of "sometimes I'm serious."  It is rare, but sometimes I venture into the thought provoking realm of my life.

One problem issue challenge in my life is my lack of ability to K.I.S.S.  (Not that kind of kiss...I'm obv. awesome at that kind.)  I'm talking about this:

Imagine this scenario:
You are asked a simple question.  Is the glass half empty or half full?

Most individuals, depending on their optimistic or pessimistic perceptions, would answer either half empty or half full.  In other words, they K.I.S.S.  I would say it depends.  It depends on how much you filled the glass.  If you only partially filled the glass then it's half full, but if you filled the glass to the top then drank half of it then it's half empty.

This is how I deal with life.  I can't just make a decision and go with it.  I need to consider all the options, weigh the pros and cons, talk it over with multiple people...and by that time the opportunity has usually passed me by.  I get so caught up in the what ifs.  In short...I think too much. 

In my head, I know that life is basically a series of experiences and mistakes that you learn and grow from.  And I know that you can never plan for everything.  Things will happen that are out of your control and you have to adapt and move on.  But I'm terrified of making mistakes.  Of making the wrong choice.

Take running for example.  Most people who want to run put on sneakers and start running.  They work up to a certain distance and call themselves a runner.  I feel the need to research the sport.  Read about it, learn the language, buy new sneakers and learn the correct running form before I even step on to a track.  Case in point, I'm reading a book called, "The Courage to Start" by John Bingham.  It is about learning how to run for beginners.  In the introduction, Bingham says:

"We all need to live out our dreams.  We need to spend less time planning and organizing and more time doing.  We need to spend less time worrying about doing things well and more time rejoicing that we are doing them at all."

True story.

I am learning that I'll never feel 100% ready for anything new.  But that shouldn't hold me back from trying to accomplish it.  So I'm going to try and think less, do more...although I am still going to buy new sneakers first.

Sorry I got all serious on you.  I promise I'll post something inane tomorrow.  Like the time I tried to peel a grapefruit...or the time I ate a lime thinking it would be sweet...or the time I almost drove into a fence...or the time...you get the idea.
   

3.5 > 3.1

Going to the gym is sooooo much easier when you rock the buddy system.  I have a tendency to stay in bed until...um...late.  But today I got up (I'm not going to say it was early because you would laugh but take whatever time you usually wake up and subtract 2 hours) and met K at the gym for Day 3 of #19 on The List. 

I did my 3.1 on the elliptical today because for some reason the treadmill kicked my ass way more than I thought it would.  When I paused to shed my sweatshirt, I didn't actually pause the machine...which turned out to be a bad idea because the thing reset on me.  Luckily I hadn't gotten too far.  So I started over and did my 3.1 in 38 min (wayyy faster than on the treadmill).  Overall, I did about 3.5 and I didn't feel like death afterwards.

Now I just need to learn how to balance my level of thirst with my water intake so I don't feel dehydrated or sloshy and close to puking.  Any advice?

A BAD Idea

Waiting until the day after the storm to dig out your car is a BAD idea.

The Boxtown got 20 or so inches of snow.  That's a lot.  And yes, I know that it snows in New England and I shouldn't complain blah blah blah.  BUT it seems as if Bloomberg was directing the plowing of my apartment complex during this storm.

It was still snowing a bit as the sun was setting yesterday so I decided to wait until morning to dig out my car.  Again let me state that this was a BAD idea.  Everyone who had to be up and out for work early this morning got their cars out first...mostly by adding the snow blocking their vehicle to the snowbank in front of my vehicle. 

I know that it snowed a lot and that I was in for quite a bit of shoveling but I was completely unprepared for this:

 SERIOUSLY?

That SNOWBANK in front of my car was 3 feet high in places and a good 4 feet wide.  Thanks for the crappy plow job and to my crappy neighbors who helped make a sledding hill in front of my car!

One hour and a billion shovelfuls of snow later, I was able to extricate my car from its snowy sarcophagus but cutting a hard right around the third of the snowbank that I left for someone else to deal with.



So. Things we learned today:  dig your car out of the snow before your neighbors do.

Oh and another piece of advice I learned this week:  while you may think that parking your car in front of a church is a safe bet...parking in front of a church overnight in the city is a BAD idea.

This Is How I Am Making Life Altering Decisions Now...

2011 predictions?

		I will marry Conan O\'Brian.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in Nashville in our fabulous House.
		We will have 17 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a yellow clown car.
		I will spend my days as a Professional Mini Golfer, and live happily ever after.

Merry Christmas to My Car: The Sequel

Today was such a comedy of errors. 

I was feeling like quite the renaissance woman this morning when I was able to independently jump start my car in the snow.  I backed out of my spot, drove about six feet, then turned on my heat which made the car die in the middle of the driveway.  I did the only thing I could think of, I put her in neutral and with feet sliding in the snow, pushed as hard as I could until the car was out of the way. 

I called AAA for a tow and was told it would be 90 minutes.  Living in the woods a small town has some benefits.  The tow truck arrived 10 minutes later!  (I must have the value AAA plan because only the first 3 miles of my tow were free.)  So with my car on its way to the dealer I went back to bed.

They fixed my car and I persuaded my dad to pick me up and drop me off at the dealer where he asked if I wanted him to wait for me.  I told him no and he left...with my house keys in his truck.  I paid for my car with my 10% off coupon and the dealer gave me a $10 gift card to Dunks...SCORE!  After an impromptu stop at my parents house for my keys I turned off my car and my daytime running lights stayed on.

Long story short...it turns out that even cars with daytime lights have a light knob thing that you can use to turn on the headlights without the car being on.  You learn something new everyday!  I have owned this car for 5 years and I just found this out...it makes me wonder what else I am completely unaware of in my day to day life.

So, it turns out that my Corolla wanted a battery and not an alternator for Christmas.  This made Santa very happy because a battery is sooooo much cheaper.

Here's hoping for a worry-free Wednesday!

PETA Would Be Pissed

When I am super absent from the blog like I have been for the last 7 days it usually means that I am having a meltdown.  In the interest of full disclosure, I had a mini meltdown last Thursday-Friday but have since been busy and productive social. 

The Cliff Notes version of today is this:

Hung out with the Baby Momma and the cutest yet possibly loudest baby alive.

Got my recipes set for the Thanksgiving bake-a-thon that will occur tomorrow in the state of Maine.

Had a peppermint mocha latte (which was WAY better than my pumpkin spice latte) with K who tried to convince me not to go to the grocery store at 6:30 p.m.  Needless to say, I didn't listen and it turns out she was right.  My trip to the grocery store led to a series of events that left me frustrated and left an animal dead.

Everyone in town was at the grocery store bumping into neighbors and blocking aisles to chat.  I grabbed my loot and got the hell out of Dodge.  At this point most of the commuter traffic had subsided but as I approached the 1 mile sign for my exit the brake lights lit up the highway like a Christmas tree.  It took the next 12 minutes to travel the 1 mile to my exit and I spent the whole time worrying that I would
A) run out of gas and
B) pee in my pants.

Luckily, I did neither and was only yards from turning into my complex when a giant possum lumbered across the road in front of my car.  There was a car coming the opposite direction so swerving was out of the question.  I hit the brakes...the possum stopped...turned...and then I ran over it.  Because I hit my brakes hard, I ran over it very slowly...it was like going over a speed bump.  Gross I know.

Sadly, this is not the first animal I have run over.  I hit a bunny once in daylight and made the epic mistake of looking in the review mirror only to be traumatized by seeing the poor thing flopping all over the road.  (This was on the way back to camp where my CIT's then sang "Little Bunny FooFoo" to me until I cried.) 

I have a much stronger affinity towards bunnies than I do towards possums so I'm not very broken up about the possum.  Although I hope it isn't there when I drive by again so I can pretend it didn't really happen!

Padiddle!

Most of my blogs as of late have had a craft theme which seems to have isolated bored a great number of people.  I am overdue in offering a witty and/or self-revealing blog...so I thought I would give you a peek into my thought process as I drove home from the store tonight.

5:37  I see an unusually high amount of cars with a headlight out and I wonder if there is a reason for this.  Perhaps I only noticed because it is now DARK at 5:00?

5:37  I wonder how to spell the word padiddle...does it start with a silent "t"? 

5:40  I then realize I am confusing the silent "t" with the silent "p" as in the words pterodactyl or ptarmigan.  (Yes it took three whole minutes to realize this...no judgement!)

5:41  The song "One Headlight" by the Wallflowers begins to run through my head and I try to recall if the band ever had another hit.

5:42  Is the band still together? 

5:42  Is Jakob Dylan really the son of Bob Dylan...or did I just make that up?

5:42  Bob Dylan is still alive right?  Surely I would have heard otherwise.

So as soon as I return home and hastily put away the groceries, I open Google and begin to investigate.  Yes, Jakob Dylan is Bob Dylan's son and yes Bob Dylan is still alive and then I make a mental note to add a Bob Dylan biography to my reading list (that is if I ever read anything ever again since I still have not finished a book since August.) 

But perhaps the most shocking thing I learned is that the word padiddle is NOT a noun which refers to a car with only one headlight but in fact is the name of a game.  The rules of Padiddle the game are quite intense but basically boil down to this:  you see a car with a headlight out...you hit the roof of the car...the last one to hit the roof takes off an article of clothing!

How did I never know this?  Did I grow up that sheltered?  Did my lack of male friends in high school contribute to my ignorance?  Padiddle does seem like a coed game...I mean how often do you see three chicks cruising around the 'burbs taking articles of clothing off? 

Am I the ONLY person who didn't know the real rules of Padiddle?  Has anyone actually played by the real rules of Padiddle? 

Obviously I do most of my thinking in questions.

Adventures in Employment and Training Services

One of the stipulations of collecting unemployment is that you attend a workshop at a Career Training Center.  I did this several weeks ago and it turned out not to be a great day.  But I did learn about all of the information and training resources the Career Service Agency provided.  This month I have taken advantage of the resume and cover letter writing workshops and I've met some characters along the way.

It should come as no surprise that many people who are unemployed are angry, bitter, and generally discouraged.  At the beginning of each seminar, everyone is given the opportunity to introduce themselves in an AA fashion..."My name is X and I'm unemployed.  I've been unemployed for X months and...."  These introductions quickly turn into sob stories about how the X industry has been hit the hardest.  While some of these people are so negative and obnoxious, I am attempting to refrain from judging them because I have no idea what it is like to be unemployed and supporting a family.

I have met some people women that I thought were worthy of a place on this blog.  First, is an older woman (maybe 65+) who is looking for work as a registered nurse.  She shared her struggles of finding a nursing job in a profession that is hiring "young gals with no experience."  However, as she is lamenting the nursing field's age discrimination, her sun-spotted hands are doing that continuous Parkinson-like shaking thing.  And running through my head is, "I feel bad that she can't find a job...but holy hell if I ever needed blood drawn and she was my nurse I would run away from those hands as fast as I could!"

Next, we meet a woman who is adamant about listing her hobby of collecting antiques on her resume while simultaneously refusing to join LinkedIn.  She insists that being an antique collector demonstrates a skill set of using the Internet and networking at collector shows.  The instructor politely reminds the woman that only things relevant to the job you are applying for should be included on a resume...and if she thinks that collecting antiques is a relevant skill for environmental work then she should go ahead and include it.

Finally, we meet my favorite lady of them all.  She told the class that her name was Dora and the instructor asked her what she did.  At this point I had to put my hand over my mouth to contain a giggle because I immediately wondered if she was an explorer.  Dora was tall and blond and in fact, not an explorer, but even a week later this still makes me laugh out loud.

So the Moral of the Story Is...

Edward Cullen says:

In October, I drank lots of lattes, wore flip flops with sweatshirts, looked at the moon, spent too much time online, visited with lots of friends, ate too much candy, dressed up for Halloween, didn't finish a book, met new people, went three entire days without going outside, barely watched tv, kept my apartment clean, made a minibook, drove more than 1,500 miles, photographed lots of leaves, and cut my own hair.

I accomplished ALL three of my October goals proving that my idea of aiming low should now be widely recognized and respected.  This past month, I tried something new, I wrote an entire blog post without using the word "I" and I carved some kick-ass pumpkins.

Sadly, I exhibited poor decision making skills in carving my pumpkins 8 days before Halloween. Apparently if you live in an apartment this is not a good idea.  I went away for the weekend and returned to this:

I spent the better part of 10 minutes scraping pumpkin guts off the window sill with a spatula.  Today was spent mourning the death of my jack-o-lantern before he was able to realize his Halloween dream. Maybe I should have put it in the fridge rather than leave it in the window when it was 75 degrees for 4 days?  Oh well...live and learn.

I also tried to dress my dog as a lady bug.  She was not psyched:

However, after some tummy rubbing and the promise of dog treats she acquiesced.

So the moral of the story is...
Don't carve pumpkins a week before Halloween and leave them inside.
Be nice to animals...or bribe them with treats before you embarrass them.

Bring on November!

A Long-Winded Explanation (excuse?) for my Lack of Direction in Life

I went to college from 2000-2005. Yes, that is 5 years instead of the traditional 4…but hey I always was an overachiever! During those years I studied abroad, transferred schools, and declared a variety of majors. I entered college intending on taking classes that sounded interesting and hoped that everything would work out. In hindsight this seems quite naïve, but I honestly don’t think I ever stopped and really gave a thought as to what I was going to do with my life. Everyone always said “oh you’ll figure it out” but so far I haven’t.

As a freshman, I enrolled at UVM with an interest in photography and an undecided major. I declared myself as a Social Work major which lasted precisely 3 classes. Social work seemed like a daunting but rewarding field. During my third class the teacher was circulating and asking our opinions about the discussion topic. I gave mine and she seemed delighted and very enthusiastically asked, “that is wonderful, can I share that with the class?” I roll my eyes even as I write this because I don’t do touchy-feely well. I was taken aback by her approach and quickly decided that I was not nice and/or patient enough to be a social worker.

I was a Political Science major after that. American Government always appealed to me and I planned to pursue this until the events of September 11. I decided to transfer schools at the end of my sophomore year and went to UMASS Amherst as a Sociology major. Sociology fascinated (and still fascinates) me but I didn’t see it as a realistic career field. So again I switched majors, this time to Legal Studies with the intention of going to law school. Finally, I settled on, and graduated with, a double major in Legal Studies and Communications. I studied mostly media communications which at the time I was very interested in.

As I studied for the LSAT I heard horror stories of law school, the long hours, hard work and evil competitiveness. I knew that I had the capacity to conquer all of those things but at what cost? I ended up chickening out and deciding I wanted my soul more than I wanted to be a cutthroat career lawyer. So I left school with no idea of what I wanted or was going to do.

I love music…probably more than anything else. I often dreamed of working for a record company or a live music venue but I never made an attempt because I was told it was unrealistic. I am not the mover and shaker that I always thought I would be...and truth be told, that is what I am most bothered by because now I fear that it is too late.

So where does teaching come into all of this? I’m not sure…it almost seems like an afterthought. I’ve always worked with kids so teaching seemed like a natural career step but now I am second and third guessing my decision.

And there you have it. My directionless life in a nut shell…a big nutshell…like a coconut.

If you read this far…kudos to you.