Quiet

Just two introverts, hanging out.

No need for words.

Day 1: Minimalist Packing

Hello from GIRLZ WEEKEND!

If we were any more militant in personality, I'd have to spell it as GRRRRLZ WEEKEND, but alas, we are a couple of lazy pookies these days.

The thought of this long weekend has been keeping me going for...about 3 months now. In order to make the 7 a.m. flight, my driver and I had to leave the house at 4:00. A.M. G loved it.  For the first time ever in my life, I decided not to pack anything so I wouldn't have to check a bag and then wait for a thousand years at baggage claim.

So, I present to you the one bag that holds four day's worth of stuff in it. And by that I mean, my laptop (priorities), some magazines and books, my pj's, and underwear. I'm relying on A-peep to provide all hygienic items unless she wants me to not shower or brush my teeth for several days. See the outfit I'm wearing in that top picture? Well, get used to it! That's all I got!

They had to de-ice the plane for about 15 minutes before we took off. That was super fun. I just go to my mental travel happy place.

Yesterday (Day 1) included a lot of talking and a lot of food. We had a lot to celebrate (one thing being we both sold houses recently, hallelujah and thank you Lord of Heaven) and fondue was basically the only thing that would suffice. Obvs.

Ok, kill me now. Dark chocolate mixed with white chocolate? That is indeed the yin and yang that balances the universe. There's some kind of spiritual truth to that and also I consider it training and research for the Japan trip. I am nothing if not studious.

Also? I slept for about 12 hours last night. The only place I am ever able to do that is A-peep's house. It's like my body readjusts or something.

Or it's a colossal food coma.

TGIF people!

Surly Photo Shoot

Do you want to see the most precious thing ever?

Look!

Loo Loo Bean hangs out on the hearth and watches TV at night. And usually I'll love her up right before I go to bed (you know, at like 8:00 p.m.). We have all gotten so used to this lovey routine that I've totally forgotten to capture it on film!

She's not exactly nice, but boy has she come a long way. She no longer runs away from us. I took this picture while I sat next to her. She is finally comfortable sharing a space with mom and dad.

 
Best night time routine in the world.

A Two-Fer!

Well, well, well. Blogging two days in a row. What is the world coming to?

Also, there's this.

Spring is the best. Even though it will continue to snow until June. Even though technically Fall is the best season ever in the world.

My students turn in major projects today and tomorrow, so as a compromise (i.e. to keep them from completely and totally wishing a brutal death upon me) I cancelled their classes today and tomorrow. Needy students and their needy needs.

Little do they know that the teacher benefits from a cancelled class as well. I slept in until the sinful hour of 7:30 and caught up on grading (and endless cups of coffee...and endless loads of laundry) for hours until I had to go to work. I'm at home so little during the week that it felt downright illicit. Even though I was being productive.

It's been so long since I've blogged on a regular basis that I have been completely (culinarily) remiss. A few weeks ago I went to the best brunch ever. This is biscuit french toast. Biscuit. French. Toast. With honey butter and syrup.

A little preview of Heaven. Right here.

Served with a side of fried chicken. A. Side. Of. Fried. Chicken. Does it get any better than this? No, it does not.

On our date night to celebrate our upcoming trip to Japan, this was my dinner. Cheesy grits and shrimp. With sauteed veggies and garlic toast wedges.

You are welcome for those beautiful images. Two days and counting until Spring Break.

Changes, Big and Small

I think about the blog a lot, but somehow I just can't seem to write much these days. That will soon change. I want to write more because this is a kooky, creative outlet for me, but also it's one of the ways I keep up with my peeps. I follow your blogs, you follow mine, everyone knows what everyone else is up to since we're spread across the globe. I bug each and every one of you when you lapse in posts, and here I am totally neglecting the virtual world.

It beez what it beez.

I want to lay around like this all day.

We are mid-semester and life has officially become too hectic. I've spent much of the last few weeks thinking about the future and deciding how to change things moving forward. My professional/academic life is great, but I'm spread too thin. It's especially rough this semester because the one class I'm taking (dang you, critical theory) is so complex and boring and stressful and relevant all at the same time. It's sucking the life out of me and I cannot wait to read actual literature again.

On the plus side, I haven't had to rewrite a paper in weeks! AND, my prof loved my latest paper and called it "wonderful." I have basically been floating around campus every since.

We had to make a whirlwind trip to Arkansas over the weekend for a funeral. While that was sad, it was a great time with family and we were able to sit and make plans with several cousins who want to visit us this summer. I had been contemplating not working at the writing consultant job over the summer, and these discussions sealed the deal for me. Lots more involved in that decision, but suffice it say I'll have a couple of months off this summer! Yard work, here we come!

Spring has arrived in the south.

Instead of boarding Loo Loo Bell, we took her with us. It was the longest road trip she's made so far and she handled it like a trooper. She may not like bipeds or festive decorations, but that bun bun loves riding in the car. Here's a shot of her hanging out in our hotel room.

Yes, she really is that fat and fluffy.

In other news, guess who is teaching two sections of a brand new (to me) course next semester?? I'm officially moving on to Comp II in order to get a few semesters of teaching that course under my belt. I'm moving on up in the world (which is to say I'm no longer at the wee bottom).

I've had convos with a couple of my key profs lately to talk about my career plans, and I'm feeling good. Which is another reason why I've decided to cut myself some slack and pull back on my writing consultant hours in the future. I still love that job and plan to work there for a really long time, but I would be a happier and more stable human being if I could focus on classroom work more, both as a student and an instructor. So, the fall will be a bit more relaxed for me. Which is not to say easy, but at least it won't feel impossible.

Die, Critical Theory. Die.

I'll end on a particularly high note.

Spring Break is next week.

There is grading and course planning and writing and research.

BUT.

There is also sleeping and running and relaxing and binge TV watching and GIRLZ WEEKEND.

More to come, peeps!

Nerds in Their Element

G and I don't have a lot in common, but one thing we share is a love of seeing nerds in their element. Like, we once went on a bird tour (back in VA) with like the nerdiest bird enthusiast ever. And it was so fun. And so awesome. When my brother was little, he used to pace back and forth in a line for minutes at a time, staring at the carpet and telling me (practically line by line) about the latest book he had read. It's like you're simultaneously bored to tears and also highly entertained.

Today, though, for the first time in a long time, G and I were nerds in our element.

Which is to say that we got outside for a few hours.

We rolled out of bed and went straight to breakfast. The plan was to go back home and spend the day grading for the side job. But it was so nice outside we decided to go for a quick walk at the Cherry Creek Reservoir. A quick walk turned into a couple hours and about five miles. My body was like, "I'm sorry, what?"

Colorado stylin'. Hard to believe this will turn into one of the snowiest months of the year.

The hike looked like this:

...and this...

...and this...

Life has been a little rough lately and I've gotten in over my head again this semester (hence the lack of blogging). So there have been some conversations of late about things that can be changed in future semesters (which will probably involve also teaching different classes!).

Anyhoo, with all the stresses, some things have remained the same:

I would love to report that I'm back to business now that we're home, grading away, nose to the grind stone. But I'm catching up on TV shows and drinking a Sonic DDP.

It beez what it beez.