(in which our heroine finally updates)

(in the style of Frasier, only with less dry humor and about the same amount of bad hair (but no little dog))

FOR YOUR EVER-LOVING KINDNESS
Thanks to everybody who's sent messages of support after I freaked out about how freaking hard teaching is. Sigh. Still no decision made, but I felt a million times better after getting it out and a million and a half times better after sleeping for twelve hours. As usual. :) And starting this new trimester has been good. Most of my stress goes away when I remember that I'm not responsible for everything that ever happens and just go teach English, so that's what I'm trying to focus on now.


STOP RESUME GOING TO SHOWS
This weekend I went to not one but TWO--an all-ages and a 21+, both CD release shows for The Last Domino, aka Jorr. Hilariously, I had way way more fun at the all-ages (???), mostly because it reminded me of being in high school. In a good way. I jumped around and watched the tiny kidlings make a circle pit, etc., and played "identify the social group" with GirlMathTeacher, who came out too, and then Erin and I played "OMG THAT WAS US" when she joined us after work. Amy and I tried to go to Phil's comedy show, but he was opening for Robert Shimmel who is (apparently?) Kind Of A Big Deal and it was sold out and we couldn't get in. BOOO. I have seen several fliers for other live music I want to work on going to nearby in the near future, though. And also I maybe accidentally was overheard saying I totally loved the bass player of this band that opened for Jorr both nights, and then we kept making semi-awkward eye contact all night?? They sound like Ben Folds Five only more adorable, and Erin has decided to put them in her pocket. Apparently their album is forthcoming in December, which I learned by assaulting the bassist later after we made more awkward accidental eye contact after the show.



QED
When the Friday all-ages show was out, we went to a Super Sekrit Basement Bar, and saw a Bluegrass band (!), and DudeMathTeacher joined us.

Me: What do you want to drink?
DMT: What are you having?
Me: Manhattan. It kind of tastes like gasoline, though, because it's well.
DMT: [tries it; shudders]
Cameron: Yeah, none of us would drink that, either.
DMT: [glares at fancy wine-bar menu] I just want a beer!
Cameron: Well, what kind of beer do you like? They have a lot.
Erin: Get a Stella! That's what I have.
DMT: What? No, I just want regular beer.
Erin: Um... it's just a Stella?
DMT: I just want a Bud Light!

Then he had one of those and told us lots of scandalous stories. IN CONCLUSION, going to shows is awesome and I should do it more.


AND SPEAKING OF BANDS...
Hilly Kenkel's in a new one called The Damn Thing with Ben, aka The Minor Leagues, and none of this means anything to y'all but it is HIGHLY ENTERTAINING to me. Also, their songs are wicked catchy? Although definitely not everybody's thing. Which brings my to LinZ Charles' band, The Cell Phones, which is even less likely to be everybody's thing but features LINDSEY FUCKING CHARLES and also she started a blog! It amuses the heck out of me, especially the title of it. I miss her. Clearly my New Life Goal of going to lots of shows will also have to involve a travel component.


...BUT MORE ABOUT ME.
Also, why am I not in a band??? I sing backup vocals on "Diamond Days and Fire Nights" (track 2)* and did my first bit in ONE TAKE so clearly I am talented. OH WAIT IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE NO FREE TIME LOL. Not to mention that judging from all those MySpace URLs I'd have to get a MySpace. And then I'd have to KILL MYSELF, because I still totally hate MySpace. Fuckin' MySpace....

*along with Cameron, Ian, and Ian's girlfriend Marie. But still. Our part is credited as "gang vocals"! We are AT LEAST as tough as the guys in West Side Story! Probably tougher! Come on!!


AND SPEAKING OF FREE TIME...
And/or travel: I will be heading to San Antonio, TX next weekend for the National Council of Teachers of English conference (Mr Helmsing, will I be seeing you there, by any chance?) with New English Teacher. I look forward to lots of margaritas great opportunities for learning, and also CLARE OMG, as she will be JOINING US for part of the time. I'm still thinking it would be awesome to sponsor her Student Pass and bring her in with me, if only for the purpose of having more people to carry freebies away from the vendors' room. Also sending her out to scavenge for free books would make it so I could actually, you know, attend the conference. Hrmh.


I AM NOT A ROCK STAR. YET.
I keep meaning to put together a presentation for NCTE and not doing it. Then again, I keep meaning to do a lot of things, including (but not limited to):
-Exercise regularly (or even irregularly--just so long as I was doing it!);
-Read more (I think Cameron and I are going to have mandated half-hour nightly reading time from now on, because this is a mutual goal);
-Stay connected with my friends (helloooo, $winterholiday cards!);
-Clean my room (hmm...);
-Write the Great American Novel. Or the Mediocre American Novel. Or some fanfic. ANYTHING!
-Watch less (or more?) TV (for someone without any channels, I do watch an awful lot of TV shows thanks to the magic of DVD, but everyone's trying to get me to start watching a bunch of other shows, like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Lost");
-Live like a grown-up, with sensible fiscal habits, lots of home-cooked meals, and clean laundry put away where it belongs (HA).


AND IT'S THAT TIME ONCE AGAIN
Hey, at least I have a great start on my New Year's resolutions?? The first one is to GO DANCING, which is why I'm going to Cincinnati for NYE this year for dancing at gay bars and Fun Times With Old Friends. Everyone's invited! Wheeee!


THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S PROGRAMMING
...we now return you to your regularly-scheduled Sunday.