Crying

I am not a crier. However, when it does happen, it is typically a public event. Today that event was a read-aloud. My 5th graders and I were using the last 20 minutes of our reading time to finish a book we began yesterday. It was one by my favorite author, Patricia Polacco, and I should have known. I only read her books aloud a few times a year because her writing so perfectly captures emotion that moves me.

The Christmas Tapestry, today's book, was a perfect blending of sadness and hope. Perhaps based on an amazing true story, I began to tear up when I learned that the woman from the bus stop had been separated from her family by the Nazis. I looked around the table and 8 little boys looked at me with some confusion. The 2 girls were more supportive. One boy asked, "Are you crying?" I then explained a little bit of history and the children seemed to understand.

The crying continued (read: really began to roll) when there was a wonderful twist of fate that I will not ruin for you. At that point, one boy slowly hid his face inside the top of his shirt. Another one could no longer look at me. But, one was sharing a cry with me. And, for the first time that morning, they were all focused on something other than vacation. It was a very good day.

Holidays, whoop, in the park

something, something, it's Christmas time. Da da da da.

**************

I finally got around to finishing my small batch of hand made holiday cards for the year aught-nine. The first go left my poor husband exclaiming "Ah, glitter," followed by a string of mumbled expletives each time he had an unexpected moment of discovery of a small glitter deposit (which some might say was just a little bit festive, but tomato-long a/tomato-short a).

Today, I took it out doors. In a few days, several relatives and old friends will find their home filled with a little joy that has been a part of our lives for a few weeks.

Deck the halls.

My poor blog.

Hey. A blog. I have a blog.

I should use it.

I just tried to blog. It was no good. It was, unfortunately, more like a status update. Stupid Facebook. But that one is now erased. 5 years and I've let go of blog fodder. Poor poor blog.

But, I did get Christmas cards. That was a good time.

Life as I know it...33

Amazingly enough, this is my fifth birthday blog (1, 2, 3 & 4 found here). I like to take a moment and reflect upon the year that has passed and make a plan for the year coming. Although I never really integrated the whole concept of 32 into my self image (I thought I was 31 for much of the year), I do still love a look back.

This year was a chapter change for me. I became a married person - something I never thought I would do until I decided to visit LA on my way to India and then knew almost immediately. It has been a completely wonderful transition and I can now not fathom a different path for my life.

While my personal life has become more settled my professional life has become less so. I anticipate change on the horizon. This brings alternating feelings of anxiety and adventure. I am still happy to spend my days with my students. But, the time around the time with them is a different story. I have more to think about before I am able to be definitive on these pages. For now, I think.

I've been caught up in thoughts about a change that happens as people move from their 20s into their 30s. When I began this blog, much of my life revolved around the day to day experiences of friends. My focus has readjusted overtime. I have been feeling bad about this; interpreting the change to social awkwardness and a rediscovered sense of shyness. Perhaps, though, it has more to do with the way I am turning toward my own little family unit than an inability to carry on adult conversation.

Now for the bullet point portion of the evening. Things I plan on doing as a 33 year old:

• Take a ceramics class.
• Continue to write thank you cards (it's a nice thing to do and has not always been in my social repertoire).
• Try to rediscover movement in my life. This has something to do with the analogy of putting on the oxygen mask of others before I put on my own. It's not the way I'm supposed to do it.
• Continue to find ways to have pride of ownership in my home. I love being home and I want to find more ways to extend the good feelings. If this means a iCal alert to clean the baseboards, so be it.
• Try to blog more. There was a request.
• Spend less time consuming and more time creating.
• Make at least one healthy choice each day.
• Continue to use recipes. The results have been wonderful.

Menonite in a Little Black Dress

A while ago, I was waiting for a latte at the local coffee shop, perusing the NYTimes magazine. I found my way to the back page (which I love). The title really drew me in. So I read it. I loved it. I requested the book (Menonite in a Little Black Dress) from the LA Public Library. Forever ago.

When I put in the request, I was number two on the hold list. I am still number two on the hold list. This has brought about some OCD like behaviors. I check the status online. I ask about it when I have to return other books. Then, I wonder if I should just break down and buy a hardcover book. I mean the freekin book is laugh out loud and it uses the word canoodling. The internal strife is building.

If it does not arrive soon, I am so getting this book for the flight back east.

Ah, October

October has begun and I have left a somewhat painful September behind. The school year began with a bang. It was followed up with a few more bangs and then lots of intense meetings. When October rolled around, I was a little bit shell shocked and unsure if I'd make it through the year. But, we've begun to hit our stride. The kids are rocking it...great reading comprehension grades on difficult books, almost 100% homework on a regular basis, math skills everywhere you turn, happy kids and a happy teacher. Ahhhhh.

The Reason I'll Never be a Diplomat

Well, there are actually many reasons. The one that is currently sticking out in my mind is my inability to respond to passive aggressive folks in a non-emotional way. There is a teacher who puts me through my paces at the beginning of each year. It's a struggle to keep the students we share in compliance with their IEPs and it is also a struggle to keep her from slipping into her red zone.

It's one of those things that seemingly easy to mitigate issue is now the albatross around my neck. We've had an exchange in the main office that has caused me to shake and now my fight instinct comes out at the sight of her. I am having a difficult time wanting to interact with her and I just don't know how to let it go.

I think it might be time to learn how to work around this archetype.

Projects and Paninis

I think tonight will be my very first night of projects and paninis. I have some ideas and many yards of fabric that I'd like to make into something. And, I've been interfacing with some amazing bread that's just calling out for panini-ing.

Perhaps it could become a tradition, a social event, where projects are brought together, motivation shared, and panini creations are made and enjoyed by friends. Or maybe just by me. I think either would be good.

And another thing

Ever feel like the world is conspiring? Today is one of those days where I keep turning around and bumping into something. In all sorts of strange places. Boo.

At the Westchester County Fair

I mean the LA County Fair....

It was the annual trip to the fair. I love a field trip. But, I'm not so sure about this one.

High points:

• baby animals
• robotic dinosaurs so realistic it could elicit a flight instinct in a 2nd grader
• bark park with swimming dogs
  

Low points:

• the promise of a shark tank that was actually a poorly lit video, narrated by a kind of strange husband-wife team
  
• No snow expo
  
• 90 degree heat
• rides that we could not ride
• a zebra and an ostrich that were not find-able

Some good, some bad. Although I do love trip, maybe this one doesn't have enough goodness to make me excited when this comes up next year.

Ah, the humanity!

I'm still on my summer kick of reading library books in three sittings (although The Great Bridge will not succumb to my habit, I am sure). Tonight, I put in some q.t. with the book. Loved the book. Was excited to get to the end of the book.

Until I came to the last page, which was not actually the last page. Some bad person has removed the last page (or few pages) from my library book. Erased all trace of the author's carefully chosen words.

Who does that?!?

I was right at the edge of a happy ending.

How I love the First Day of School

My day was filled with little gems that can only happen on the first day of school.

*Conversation about the belly and nerve thing that happens on the first day of school.

*Pro/Con discussion on new shoes when you already have Spidey shoes.

*Compliments strongly requested on backpack coolness.

*Some on my feet distraction to get convince someone to go back into class.

*Band-aids applied to week old wounds as mental support.

*Huge smiles and hugs hello from students.

*A live long and prosper flashed.

I love this stuff.

Nightmares

Totally had school related nightmares last night. Too gross to discuss. Moon bounce related.

(I've always heard that teachers have these things right before school starts. It took year 6 for them to hit me.)

Oh, I forgot

Today, I realized I forgot more than just my usernames to school things over the summer. This blog is a list of the things I've forgotten:

• that the main office at a school is a place I'm drawn to and repelled by, all at the same time
• the way the custodians can rip apart my classroom in an effort to vacuum
• how heavy a kidney shaped table is and how hard it is to unflip it after the afore mentioned vacuuming lands it on another table - legs up
• how to think about something and drive on a freeway without swerving
• how to extract myself from conversations with cranky teachers
• the art of making a classroom look different than the year before
• how to feel a sense of excitement for the beginning of the school year.

I have exactly six days to remember.

Amazing Job

Now, I just have to figure out how to get around our firewalls at school to play this youtube video for my class!

Don't squeeze my pillow!

After some seriously wonderful beds at the lovely Canadian hotels during our 'moon, I became deeply unsatisfied with my flimsy, pancake of a pillow. When I told Dave that I was going to get some new pillows, he jumped on that train. Today's errand extravaganza brought pillows into my path...fluffy, hypoallergenic goodness. But, that's not the blog.

While waiting in line with a cart full of pillows, I realized that the lady standing behind me was on some sort of adrenaline high from shopping. She was talking about a deal she was going to get on a purse she was going to repurpose as a grocery bag, encouraging another woman to buy a robe that did not fit lady #2, and attempted to engaged me in shopping small talk. I thought that I gave her an answer that was both polite and sending the message that I was uninterested in continuing with the conversation. But, it was not over. After I turned around, she went on a sneak attack...she invaded my bubble and squeezed my pillow. She actually squeezed it-leaned over, put her grubby mitts on my pillow and then honked it. I felt as if some stranger came into my home and started going through my bedroom.

Maybe I should not be so indignant about someone touching something that was not technically mine. But, they were in "my" cart. They were on the way to being mine in a matter of moments.

Thankfully they were in a protective zipper case and I'm going to try to let the honking go and try to enjoy the fluffy goodness.

8 days left

Today, my day was filled with checks, checks, checks. First, I had my daily checkin with my sisters, which I am totally loving. A wedding is such a great excuse to video chat everyday! Then, I made a pilgrimage to the shops-Michael's, Nordstrom Rack, Whole Foods, Yolk, and the Mac Store. I needed to finish buying my fancy wedding makeup and was helped by a very nice makeup artist. Within the first few seconds of our conversation, he gave me a ton of tips (rub this face stuff everywhere for a wee bit of glow, use this stuff on your forehead and around your eyes and lips because it has silicon and smooth out your fine lines. In awe of his obvious knoweldge, I ended up flashing the nice make-up artist while discussing my décolletage - but he told me he'd seen everything, so it was okay.

Then I got to pick up my wedding gown.

Ahhhhhh.

Invigorated by all of the checks on my list, I came home and took care of projects. Some of the things that have been hanging on as incomplete projects were done. Stickers taken off. Ribbons tied. Glued things that needed gluing. Lavender partitioned out (somewhat). Paper folded. Now, I just have a few things left to do. Luckily, Dave will be home from now until the wedding to help finish things up.

I cannot believe that it is almost here. 8 Days! 8 Days!

Julie and Julia

Last night, I went to see an advance screening of Julie and Julia last night. Annie captured it well when she said the movie was delightful. It made me laugh out loud, reaffirmed my love of Meryl Streep, gave me inspiration to use my le Creuset pot I got as a wonderful wedding gift, wondered if I would ever really follow a recipe, caused a surge of pride that a blogger made it big, and made me think that I should purchase pearls for daily use.

Now, I have a list of things to do that involves finding lavender, a pocket square, and picking up my wedding dress (!). I'm approaching the day slowly and wondering if I should attempt to make the perfect egg for breakfast.

12 days to go

I'm 12 days away from our wedding. Twelve! Yesterday, I had the freak-out I had been expecting for some time. It all started with the shoes - I am having an issue finding something that works with the dress and have found out that short healed strapy sandals no longer exist. I know because I've looked at every shoe in many, many malls. (I now have three options and hope one will work.) I showed questionable logic by throwing coffee and pizza on my shoe fire, which caused a full on moment. Luckily, today was my scheduled pre-wedding facial. An hour of having my face smooshed and moisturized has allowed me to attempt wedding programs and hopefully my last dress fitting!

Media Saturation

I spent way to much time online yesterday. I can tell because my dreams were infiltrated by things I read. But, maybe, I was just hungry. You see, I had a whole dream that took place in Mozza 2Go (a place that got a lot of press because it opened yesterday). In my dream, I was at some great counter choosing sausage and pepper sandwiches for Dave and myself. My mom and my sister drifted through to discuss the stock. It was my idea of a great dream.

In my non-dream life, I have never been to any of the Mozzas (Osteria or Pizza). Perhaps I should go because now I am having a hankering for pizza and pasta...maybe some olives. Yum.

Always be prepared

Trolling around the interweb for wedding items, I stumbled upon a little something called shelf reliance. Both brilliant (thinking of my friend Amilia's winter from hell where the roof of the only grocery store within a 2 hour drive from her home collapsed under the snow) and paranoid (I'm shocked it does not come with a riffle to use for protection from bandits). There is a part of me is so intrigued by the idea of 12 Cans of Whole Eggs (236 servings per can). That's a lot of eggs.

T minus 20

My countdown clock reads "20 days until our wedding." My to-do list has been transformed into sticky notes, which are now displayed as a calender on my whiteboard, and Annie T. has been visiting daily to help me with my long list of craft projects. There are many things left to do...but, it is possible that they are all going to get done! Who would have thought....

29 days to go!

I am 29 days away from the wedding and I am currently watching paint dry. Well, not paint exactly...ink. I am deep in crafty mode for the wedding. As usual, my abilities do not quite measure up to my intentions. My previous attempts to craft it up this week ended in a minor massacre of little tiny envelopes. Now I will attempt to cut paper perfectly, mount it on other paper, adhere it, stamp it up, mount some more paper and be done with this project. Be it what it may.

33 days away

I am 33 days away from being married. This is something that, for many years, I never thought would happen and now is something I cannot imagine not happening. Oh my, oh my, oh my.

Because summer has begun, I have time to think, complete one of the millions of crafts I have planned for the weddings, and get prepared for my new life.

Good morning, Cicely

I was poking around the internet for readings for our wedding when I stumbled upon this gem. Oh the wisdom of Chris Stevens. But, I think we'll probably go with something more sentimental. 

Ahhhh

• Wedding countdown 62 days to go!
• We have finally picked our wedding rings. It proved to be a very emotional item to check off the list. I was overwhelmed (in such a good way) for most of yesterday. 
• Our honeymoon is set for a Canadian adventure. I'm psyched for ziplines, glacier tours, and a reintroduction to sushi. 
• Dave is currently entertaining me with Johnny Cash singing in German. So good. 
• My students are doing an amazing job in their reading groups. May is always the most amazing month in the classroom. 
• My mom is coming for a visit once school is out! Poor lady will be put to work on wedding things the entire time she's here. 
• I saw the new Star Trek and my geek meter went to high. It was so good. 
• We may have to have an official wine tasting in casa de our house to pick some wedding wines. Any takers? 

Numbers

You know how I love a numbers post (a slightly surprising fact, since I typically am stymied by numbers in my non-blog life). Well, here is another one.

Get it, one.

*73 days till the wedding. 

*22 and 2 1/2 days left of the school year (technically that's 23...but, 1/2 days are their own specific beasts)

*16 IEP meetings, 1 credential meeting and 2 trainings to chair/have/give in those 22 and 2 1/2 days. 

*200 paper straws that were a very pleasing impulse buy for the afternoon

*4 phone calls made today to a major chain unmentionables store in order to find out if they have the support I need for the wedding dress 

*0 unmentionables procured today, despite 1 store visited 

*6 or 7 (I've lost count) unmentionables returned in what has become a test of my patience

*3 things I should be doing rather than blogging

* 1/30 of a crafty project done for the wedding

I am so complainy lately. I think the numbers are getting the best of me. 

Saturday

Today, I had to make my own fun...which is not my strength. I started the day slowly, TV and coffee. I almost got sucked into the void, when I was forced out of the house in search of a fix to some technical difficulties. I made my way into the sunshine and managed to check things off the list. I returned a pile of undergutchies that did not work with my wedding dress, a shirt that I had purchased in a panic, and procured the tech fix from the apple store. Check, check, check. 

I made my way back home, read my sister's amazing paper for her moderation at Bard and did some cleaning. Then I had a brief adventure with Annie in Passadooner, walked around the Rose Bowl at dusk, and then saw the tiniest hummingbird by my flowers near the driveway when I came home. 

The whole day was filled with warm spring air and sun. It turned out to be a quite a nice Saturday.  

In Brief

Overview of things that may or may not be blog-worthy from recent times. 

• The cats are currently being tormented by the singing birds outside the living room window. I anticipate an increase in their attempts to break free of the confines of the home as a result. 
• For some reason, I am receiving a Family Circle or Woman's Day magazine on a daily basis. I feel as if Media is attempting to move me through the stages of life. Without subscription, I am being moved from the wedding stage to the stage that needs how-tos on easy weeknight meals and talking to teenagers. 
• Speaking of teenagers...my little sister just returned to NY after a week of SoCal living. We packed the week with visits to art schools, eating at In and Out, leaving the house without jackets and some other things that interrupted her texting. After a week of running around with her and attempting to provide for her needs, I am exhausted. 
• Wedding things are chugging along. I should be downing some coffee and beginning a big project. But, I cannot quite muster up the strength to do anything other than catch up on the Tudors and eat a snack. Maybe later....

111

In 111 days from today, I will be married! 

cough, cough

Last night, I logged another late night at elementary school. It was actually a very nice night - nicer than last week's parent teacher conference/difficult conversations/double booked by the other teachers/really late nights/nasty commutes home. This time, it was just open school night. We just finished our fancy biography projects (research a person from history, write a speech and paint a portrait). All of the portraits made the classroom look great. My students were all motivated and produced wonderful products. I'm very proud.

The only thing is that the open house might have pushed me over the edge. I think I now have walking pneumonia. 

Moments in teaching

Today I had a visit from a school psychologist who was in my classroom to observe a student. Of course, as with any visit into the classroom, there was an element of observing me as well. My students were not operating at their best. 

The lesson became a rapid fire rotation of my greatest hits. Some reminders about not taking away other people's chance to learn. Jokes about calling student A by student B's name because they were answering when I said "student B". Side conversations about where my eyes were pointed and reminders that if I'm not looking at you, I'm listening to someone else. 

There was even a moment when I felt my eyes get big - which many of my students know as my what are you thinking look. They were not exactly on fire. 

We finished up with some confusion about the start time for P.E. and then they fled the classroom in quite a flutter of movement for a small group of kids. 

The woman who was visiting seemed to think it was a great lesson. I set her straight and told her it was far from our best. The good thing about teaching is that I always have tomorrow! 

wedding craziness

I have had my first wedding melt down. It was silent and, luckily, swift. 

I realized that I was expecting my poor mother to communicate about a page and a half of single spaced information to 74 of my closest relatives. Most of the information had only been decided within the last few weeks - some of which she only heard about tucked into rambles about work/cats/wedding. It was a little bit of craziness. 

I feel as if I've been initiated into the fold. 

Ribbon

In case you were wondering, this is what 900 YARDS of ribbon looks like.

Wedding Weekend

This weekend turned out to be a bit of a wedding whirlwind. On Saturday, a suit was found for Dave and invitations were ordered. Sunday was a get up and go kind of day. We were at a Crate and Barrel wedding event by 9 and Dave had the scanner in his hand by 9:15.

This was my first wedding focused event. Everyone was very laid back, there was tons of tasty treats hidden all over the store and there was no shopping - just wishing. I think, if I want to keep the wedding is fun approach, I will not be going to any other stores' wedding events. I have a feeling those more closely resemble a full court press than the snack filled goodness of today.

After we found our way back home, Dave used his ability to make technology bend to his will to figure out how to do some home printing for the invites.

After some quite months of slow wedding planning, there are now lots of things to do and many opportunities for craftiness.

Change Your Pose, Change Your Life

Today was one of those revolution-inspiring days (only because I was able to generate a sense of malaise that slipped into the arena of revolt). I've discussed. I've erupted verbally. I've stewed.

It's only made it worse...so, I am attempting to change my mental pose and change my life.

To do this, I am making a list of totally achievable things I can do to make my teaching world better.

*Read books slightly above the reading level of my students, record it on GarageBand, and put it onto one of the two iPods that have become obsolete since I developed (too close of) a relationship with my iPhone.
*Remember I have access to videos that show math concepts like fractions and rounding.
*Find those videos during my hours and hours of internet lookin.
*Give my students more compliments. On a side note, I told two fifth graders who have been having a hard time staying in compliment zone territory to remind me to give my forth graders compliments. Today, one did. I need to say thank you for that.
*I can find a book on meaningful reading instruction, read it and implement change in my classroom.


These are all things that I can do to make my classroom a better place. I cannot change some things (differentiated instruction within the general education environment, teachers who are willing to follow federal mandates, etc. etc.). But, I can make my students' experience more meaningful. And that is what it is all about.

The Weekend

I'm in the midst of a perfect three day weekend.

Let me recap the events thus far.

Saturday
Eggs for breakfast
Something I forgot that probably involved coffee
Went to an amazing deli for some some lunch items
Brought items to South Pasadena, ate them outside of the library, watched people and then took a neighborhood walk
Went to Staples (I love Staples), discussed pen choice
Found out Dave took Monday off!!
Went to Whole Foods with the intention of getting groceries for dinner
Was diverted to their wine and tapas bar
Had some wine
Went shopping for groceries
Came home and made surf and turf...yum.

Sunday
Did a get up and go
Stopped at Starbucks for a venti latte and breakfast snack
Went to the Getty Villa (hitting no traffic on the trip from the east side to ocean side)
Loved the Getty Villa
Pondered the Kouros, which has always been on my list of things to see
Ate tortilla soup for lunch
Watched Dave try on suits for the wedding
Got tired of watching Dave try on suits for the wedding
Came home for a nap
Sat around warming up, reveling in the day

Monday is looking like laundry and grocery shopping...but, even that sounds like fun after a weekend like this one.

The dentist

I thought I could read a story about people in England who used pliers to pull out their own teeth because they could not afford to go to the dentist...but, I couldn't.

What's for Dinner?

Dave is working late and I am on my own for dinner. This happens every once in a while and I revert back to my old ways. I started off with a goldfish course. I then progressed to sweet potato. Well, then I started to cook the sweet potato. I put it in the oven, decided to use the convection feature I only have ever heard of, and put it on 325. One hour later, it was not even close to done.

Now I was hungry.

I was forced to move to Plan B. Plan B was kielbasa and bumping up the temperature to 400. The kielbasa was fancy kielbasa- from the farmer's market, no additional bad stuff, and tasty. 20 minutes later, everything was done. Maybe I could have just raised the temperature...but, now we'll never know.

Honeymoon

Last night, some friends came over for MYOP (make your own pizza) and the topic turned to our plans for a honeymoon. Dave and I have kicked around some ideas - national and international. We have tried to anticipate our needed level of vacation after being up in Big Sur for a week for the wedding. I love to travel but am conflicted by the fact that maybe I'll want a honeymoon to be a different kind of trip. But, maybe I'm just being overly influenced by media of my past.



Growing up, this commercial and others for the Mount Airy Lodge were on heavy rotation. My honeymoon does not have to be filled with heart shaped tubs and fancy dives into a pool, despite what TV told me (over and over again) during my youth.

Change of Pace

I know I normally save the blog for rants. Rants are typically either funnier or more meaningful than my other thoughts. And, they respond well to the format of the blog.

Today I am going to change the pace of life as I know it....at least for today.

I am 165 days away from my wedding. I am amused by the things that amuse me. I have a little countdown calendar on my dashboard - it normally pops up when I drift towards the top right corner of my computer screen while I'm using my smartboard, allowing all of my students to see and momentarily removing me from my teacher zone. I like the zone removal. And, so far, my students have not read the label on the calendar and realized what the numbers indicate.

It is amazing to see the day move closer. Each day, it is a little more real. Yesterday someone asked me if my name was going to be Same first New last in an email and I giggled as I read.

I am excited to see what else amuses me about this change in my life.

My Cup is Full

I had lots of meetings this week - both official and un. There was some discussion of budget cuts, tempered with a healthy dose of discussion of the needs of the students (I see these issues as mortal enemies, but that's not what the blog is about).

At a conference, I heard an analogy about students coming to school with their figurative cups full and the first "drop" in the morning causes their cups to overflow. I feel as if this week's meetings have caused my cup to overflow.

Basically, what I want is revolution. Revolution in the lives of my students. Revolution in the policy of the schools. Revolution.

Obama!

We are on the eve of something great. Damon thinks so, too.


I am going to have to show this to my class. They will love it.

Weekend Update

I am sitting on the couch, enjoying coffee and day three of the weekend, and am feeling bullet pointy.

Wedding
*The wedding planning is coming along. The progress we've made is mostly due to Dave. He's totally producing the event. I'm a lucky lady.
*I found someone who can alter my wedding dress (I had whirlwind wedding dress shopping event with my mom while in NY over the holidays). As I was speaking to the tailor, he told me about the work he had done for Mickey Rourke for the Golden Globes. And Diddy. Only in LA.

Home
*After many months of living at the house, I have finally found a method that works for cleaning my three bathrooms. I first tried the assembly line method (toilet, toilet, toilet, shower, shower, bath, counter, counter, counter, etc). Not quick. Then I tried a rotating schedule and couldn't keep track of things. Then, I found the caddy. I can clean one bathroom after the other and tote my supplies with me. It makes me happy.
*There was an excellent game of Liar's Dice played on Saturday. In it, I have found a game that sanctions my love of stretching the truth. When I was 10-ish, that love was not harnessed for good - I would habitually make my stories better by adding a little too much flair. If I had only known about Liar's Dice then....