Crack-O-Lantern

It's the end of the quarter and grades are due and so are all my students' projects, which means one thing: grading! Which is not my favorite thing. My favorite thing is procrastinating.

Also, it's Halloween and no one should have to work on a holiday, right? Which is why I’m doing Crack-os instead.

 10-3+1=20-12 

 We can call it a special edition crack-o-lantern!

Existentialism Leads to Extinction

Something to enjoy. A pumpkin comes into existence only to find loneliness. In an effort to make a new friend he creates a nightmare. A scary story just in time for Halloween. (Repost from October 2008)

An Apology and A Gift Card

A confiscated note!

Dear [girl],
I am sorry that I wasn't there for you when I was your boyfriend. I hope your having fun with your new boy friend. He must be really nice. Here is a $15 best buy gift card you can use it to buy you a phone. The one right across the street from Northgate sells them for $9.09.
Hope your happy. Sorry for my mistakes.
Your friend, or non-friend
[boy]


I received some ardent apologies from a past relationship of my own this week. But no gift cards, so you have to wonder how heartfelt it really was. Just saying.

Is there anything more demoralizing for a 36 year old woman than when her love life echos the 8th graders...

Sigh.

The answer is yes.

This is more demoralizing: I have an deep, deep affection for Carley Rae Jensen's song "Call Me Maybe". Fact.

Earlier this week I was driving to work and my CD was skipping around (I ruin CDs; NEVER loan me one of yours) so I switched to radio power and had to pump it UP because Carley Rae's sweet, sweet vocals were on the airways.

The first time I endured this song I rolled my eyes a little more than I'm willing to admit now that I'm a mega fan. But soon after hearing it, America's darlings on the U.S. Olympic swim team made a video, I fell in love with it, and it all went downhill from there. Now I'm hooked. I love it so bad. I love it so, so bad.

Is there a more adorable girl on this planet than Missy Franklin [minute 1:36]? There really isn't.

Also this:

And finally this:

You're* welcome.


I promise I'm not an 8th grader contrary to all offered evidence.


*evidence that supports my claim of not being an 8th grader: I know the correct usage of your/you're.

Just One More

Oh internet, I love you. Let's be BFFs 4ever. LOL.
_

Cape Alava

I'm pretty wimpy. I've never been that interested in developing athletic prowess or even adequate upper body strength. I am, to be pithy, an easy target for zombies.

But once in a while I find myself in an entirely self-inflicted physically grueling situation. One where stamina and indefatigability are requirements for survival. I try to be graceful at such times but it's never a complete success and I tend to dip a little too far into the whiney-pants end of the spectrum. This summer I found myself in exactly such a mess and I made it out alive. High five!

I went backpacking out at Cape Alava on the northern Washington coast in the Olympic National Park.  My pack was ridiculously heavy. Why does anyone need that much stuff for two nights? I didn’t even haul a tent, which turned out to be an important detail . . .

But the experience was incredible. I’m glad I did it and look how pretty the campsite was.