Tuesday, November 26, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Time, Customer Service, Grandparents, New Things, Laundry Chute, Books, Mr. S, Technology, Remote-Controlled Light

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

I'm such a rotten ingrate!  I went eight days without a gratitude post!  Well, I guess that's sort of fitting as we gear up for a very early Hanukah?  

Time: I'm grateful that I've been able to find time, even amidst all the boxes and end-of-term grading and holiday stuff, to start reading again.  I finished The Raven Boys (love!) and started The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (also loving!)  Little by little, I'm training myself to find the time I already have--time spent reading Buzzfeed lists and poking at mindless iPad games--to read (and soon, SOON--to write.)

Customer Service: I know customer service can be a totally awful and thankless job, especially at this time of year.  But lately I've had small issues with two companies I love (some tea tins missing from an order at David's Tea and my Indiespensable shipment went to my old address because I didn't change it in time.)  Customer service can absolutely make or break my opinion of a company, and the customer service at both David's and Powell's Books (which runs Indiespensable) was stellar.  Prompt, helpful, personable...there's a reason I love them!  

Grandparents: Today was Grandparents' Day at one of my schools.  We had an incredible turnout (and remember, I teach high school!)  I loved seeing our students show their grandparents around, and a ton of girls got up to speak in our packed morning meeting because everyone wanted to show their grandparents their own special part of our school.  It made me think of the grandparents in my life--my own grandmother just moved four hours closer to me than she used to be, to an independent living facility near my mom, and it's so nice that we can see her more often.  My great-grandmother lived to be 106 years old and until about the last six months or so of her life, she lived at home with my grandmother.  So it's only been the last few years that my grandmother is on her own, and it's almost like she's an empty-nester for the first time!  When we visited her, she showed off the pub where she has dinner, the pool where she swims every day, and the room where she competes in a senior Wii bowling league!  I love that she's having such a good time.  And closer to home, Mr. S's grandmother lives in an assisted living facility just a few minutes away from us.  We had dinner with her there this weekend and she's the same as ever--cracking jokes, shaking her cane at us, and insisting that we take home leftovers!  I'm grateful to have both grandmothers in my life!

New Things: This weekend, I helped the residential students (mostly from China or other Asian countries, with a handful of German girls who are here for a semester) make pumpkin and apple pies to bring to the families who will host them over Thanksgiving.  For many of the girls, it was their first time baking, or at least baking these desserts!  (The German girls informed me that pumpkin pie was "weird" and they would need to take apple pies where they were going.)  Seeing the girls try something new and have so much fun with it was really a great experience.

Laundry Chute: We have one.  In our bedroom.  It is glorious.  (I am not, by nature, a tidy person.  Neither is Mr. S.  This is going to make our lives so much better.)

Books: Ok, so we're getting to the end of the month, and it's time to start busting out the obvious ones.  Like I mentioned before, I'm finally reading again and I'm SO happy about it.  

Mr. S: Another obvious.  But just as an example: I had grades due at the end of this weekend, plus the aforementioned pie-baking.  So Mr. S quietly did all the laundry AND started unpacking the rest of the clothes.  Because that's just how he rolls.  (Also: I forget if I've mentioned this or not, but this blog can now be reached at ReadingOnTheFTrain.com!  The domain name was a birthday present, way back in September.  Because he's awesome.)

Technology: Well, yeah, duh.  But I've really been up to my ears in tech this year, as one of my schools is a one-to-one tablet computer school, which means that every student gets a laptop that they bring back and forth to school and to all their classes.  We also have a great learning management system that lets me put up calendar assignments, documents, links, etc. very easily.  Printer's broken?  Ok, I'll just upload the handout for today and they can fill it out using their styluses and email it to me!  I'm not totally paperless yet, but it feels plausible here.

Remote-Controlled Light: This combines technology and books and time and our new house: the light in our bedroom has a remote!  That means I can get in bed and read until I can't keep my eyes open...and just click the light off without getting up!  It is genius.  GENIUS.

Monday, November 18, 2013

30 Days of Gratitide: School Theatre, Neighborhood, Triple A, Optimism

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Ok, so I guess it was unrealistic to expect that I would go from no posts in two months to posting every day.  That said, I have a lot to be thankful for, so here goes: 

School Theatre: On Thursday night, Mr. S and I went to see my students in the fall theatre production at one of my schools.  The whole show was gorgeous--dance, music, storytelling, and the most fabulous costumes that were made by the students in the production class.  It was a great evening and I was proud to know the girls involved.  

Neighborhood: As much as we miss our old neighborhood--an eclectic and diverse residential area just off a dining and shopping area widely regarded as the best in town--I'm really starting to love our new neighborhood.  It's quieter over here, and people really care about knowing their neighbors (we've already met our two nearest, because they made a point of stopping by.)  The houses are beautiful, and they're from a variety of different eras and styles.  We have a good neighborhood market a few blocks away, and some great Italian restaurants nearby.  We enjoyed a great meal at one of those restaurants with my mom and stepdad this weekend, and I have a hunch it may become our go-to place when they visit in the future.  And Mr. S grew up just a few blocks away, where his parents still live, so there are many family friends in the neighborhood as well.

Triple A: Today when I came out of School #1 on my way to School #2, I got in my car and drove about fifty feet before realizing something was really off.  I pulled over and hopped out to find that my two front tires were beyond flat.  Like, demolished.  So after a moment of panic, I remembered that my mother-in-law (for whom, you'll recall, I have already been grateful on this blog!) signed me up for Triple A.  I gave them a call and then all that was left for me to do was a bunch of waiting around (well, and buying two new tires.  But what can you do?)

Optimism: I think I am pretty good at finding the good in a situation, or at least the "it could have been worse."  This month's blog theme helps with that as well, since I'm in the mindset of looking for things to be grateful for.  It definitely helps when things go wrong--in the space of an hour or two today, I was thankful for: 
  • the fact that I pulled over when I first felt my car driving weirdly, instead of trying to drive to my next job on two flat tires
  • the fact that my second job is not the kind where I will get fired for missing a day and IS the kind where people are kind and understanding
  • the fact that missing a day of work and/or having to buy new tires will not be a financial derailment
  • the fact that it wasn't as cold today as it had been, so I could sit in my car and wait for the tow to make sure I didn't get ticketed for being on the wrong side
  • the fact that the tire place was near the subway so I could have gotten home if the car needed to stay overnight
  • the fact that the car didn't have to stay overnight
  • the fact that the tow truck driver and tire shop manager were both nice guys
  • the clean, pleasant waiting area with HGTV on in the background at the tire place.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Oven Window

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

This one is so simple but SO exciting.  In our last two apartments--so, for my entire adult life--our oven doors have not had windows.  I never considered that an oven might not have a window, or what effect that would have on my baking, but holy GEEZ was it frustrating to have to open the oven door--which wreaks havoc with oven temps--to check on baked goods.  Now, I just switch on the oven light and peer right in.  

Since I tend to binge bake--like the seven dozen cookies I baked last night (five dozen for the school play concession stand; two dozen that kind of melted into flat, weird-looking sheets that my husband and I have been nibbling on but aren't fit for public consumption)--the oven window brings me a huge amount of joy and gratitude.  I'm almost grateful that I didn't have one for so long, because I love this one so much as a result.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Tea, Sweaters

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Today's edition is brought to you by the cold snap that has settled on Buffalo lately!  In our move, I was excited to discover a stash of cozy sweaters that I can finally wear to work (my school in New York was heated to about 90 degrees at all times.)  I love sweater weather and after a few chilly weeks at school I'm especially grateful to have re-discovered my pile of sweaters. 



I've also been drinking a ton of tea from my collection.  As I may have mentioned before, tea is kind of my weakness (although just recently I've been able to start drinking coffee again without ill effect!  Hooray!)  I'm a big fan of David's Tea (a Canadian chain that has expanded into the states but, sadly, not to Buffalo yet) and my collection is...a little bonkers. 


This picture is from the apartment we just moved out of; I have to find it a spot in our new house.  In the meantime, I've got canisters and cups scattered around everywhere so I can still unwind in the evenings.

Monday, November 11, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Veterans

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Since today is Veteran's Day, it only seems right that I should stop and give thanks for the men and women who have served (and are currently serving) our country.   I am particularly grateful that my friends and family who have served have, so far, remained safe.  I am also grateful to the military families whose lives are subject to far more change and stress than I can imagine taking on, but who bravely support the servicemen and women in their lives.  (Katy, I'm looking at you!) 

(I am, of course, also thankful for the day off.  But I am thinking about the men and women we honor today as I go about my business.)

Sunday, November 10, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Sleep, Family, New Home, Colleagues, Cat

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Yikes--I'm several days out of date on my gratitude posts!  But I'm really excited about today's, because I can FINALLY explain the BIGGEST reason I've been so bad about blogging this fall.  In mid-August, we somewhat abruptly learned that we'd have to move out of our apartment.  We looked at other rentals but also decided to look at some houses, since our plan had always been to rent for a few years and then buy a home.  And before we knew it, we'd fallen in love and signed a contract on a house!  That was early September...and since then we've been packing and making arrangements and waiting and waiting and waiting to move!  I was too nervous to say anything online until everything was really, truly official, but we closed on Friday and moved in yesterday, so I guess it's really ours now.

So, working backward through the week, here is what I've been grateful for each day since I last posted:

Sleep: Mr. S and I stayed up until 4am Friday night/Saturday morning getting the apartment all the way packed up, then woke up at 6 to finish stuff up before the movers came.  My in-laws recently got a new bed, so they gave us the one that had been in their guestroom, and between the new bed and the exhaustion, I don't think I've ever had a better night's sleep than I did last night.

Family: My in-laws were with us all day yesterday, helping clean and move and organize, and supplying us and the movers with food.  My mom and step-dad are coming to visit next weekend, and my mom is planning on bringing me her snowblower.  Our families are looking out for us big-time and I'm so glad we have them.

New House: I just love it so much, and I keep finding little things that make me love it more.  The kitchen is pretty much perfect, one of the bedrooms has built-in bookshelves, and in our bedroom, the overhead light has a remote control--genius for reading in bed!

Colleagues: The people I work with, at both schools, are such interesting, dedicated educators that I would love working with them even if they weren't also just all-around awesome human beings.  They've patiently talked house stuff with me for the last two months and one of them even brought me a container of homemade tomato soup on Friday!

Our kitty: Willow (who has been a champ about this whole move, by the way) is such a sweet girl and really helps both me and Mr. S manage our stress--important during this crazy moving period!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Students

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Today I'm grateful for my students.  At both of my schools, I teach some really delightful, funny, thoughtful kids.  While my two schools are demographically very different, students in both places consistently make me smile more than they provoke any other response in me (although probably second place goes to an eyebrow-cocked, "Really?" because goodness knows teenagers are pretty goofy sometimes.)  And I have to mention the students I taught in New York--the ones who taught me how to be a teacher.  I will always and forever be grateful for them.

Monday, November 4, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Veronica Mars and Welcome to Nightvale

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Oops--four days in and I've already missed a day!  Well, I have an excuse: we're getting ready to move (more on that in a future post!) and we spent the weekend packing.  So today's post is a double, to make up for yesterday's goof-up.


Today I'm grateful for the TV show Veronica Mars and the podcast Welcome to Nightvale.  Both of them made a long weekend a lot more fun.

Source


Like the rest of the internet, we contributed to the Kickstarter to fund the Veronica Mars movie, and some of the backer updates made me impatient to re-watch the series.  It's great storytelling and makes hours of packing fly by.  (In a nutshell, if you're not already a fan: Veronica is a teenage private eye with a razor wit and unstoppable skills.  Watch if you like humor, great family relationships, messed-up family relationships, scheming, class tensions, high school stories, smart procedurals, witty repartee, bad boys, or good television.)

Source


Also like the rest of the internet, Mr. S and I have been listening to and loving the creepy-goofy-strange-delightful podcast Welcome to Nightvale.  We started over the summer so we're still getting caught up but we just listened to their one-year anniversary show and all I can say is: EEEEEEEEE!  (Listen if you like Edward Gorey, public radio, adorable crushes, glow clouds that rain animals and emit feelings of crushing despair, floating cats, two-headed quarterbacks, hating the next town over, or stellar continuity.  Also, DO NOT GO NEAR THE DOG PARK.  DO NOT LOOK AT THE DOG PARK.)

I am grateful for both Veronica Mars and Welcome to Nightvale--grateful that they exist, that I have access to them, and that someone convinced me to try them out.



Saturday, November 2, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: Farmers' Markets

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Today I am grateful for the wonderful farmers' markets that exist in my community.  While the time for most fresh produce is past, this morning's trip yielded a loaf of the best whole wheat bread--the people who bake it grind their own wheat flour, so it has a ton of flavor and a great texture--as well as a ton of other real, delicious food made without chemicals or preservatives.  We also had breakfast there: sausage-egg-cheese-potato wraps (from the same family that makes our bread), apple cider that was pressed yesterday on a local farm, and doughnuts fresh out of the fryer.  Everything was delicious. I'm thankful for the farmers and local food producers who come out in the cold and rain to keep the markets going well into the holiday season, and I'm thankful that I live in a community that supports them.  I'm also thankful that I have the resources to shop there: while there are great markets very close to where I live, the bread people and the doughnut people are only at the market that's about a 20-minute drive, and I am thankful that I can get out there when I feel like it. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

30 Days of Gratitude: GSAs

Because I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.  Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?

Source


Today I am thankful for the GSAs (gay-straight alliances) at both of my schools.  I've been sitting in on meetings at one school, and last week I participated in the Ally Week rainbow dress days (wear red/orange on Monday, yellow on Tuesday, and so on) at the other school.  I am thankful that so many students at both schools either participate in the clubs directly, or at least support their activities.  I am thankful that I work in two schools that work hard to support their students and encourage open-minded acceptance of others.  

Join in: what are you thankful for?