Thursday Thoughts

1. My goal this year was to coordinate my days better than last year, when I felt like I had one thing everyday which wasn't a very efficient use of my time. Thus far, I have Seth's football practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, piano lessons on Wednesdays after school, Henry's speech on Monday mornings, Relief society meetings Tuesday evenings, and now Sam's soccer practices on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Awesomely un-efficient.

2. I thought I had my twenty classics chosen, but I got a few more comments today that are making me rethink my selections. I want the year to be balanced, with no genre or time period getting more emphasis than another. Except that I'm drawn to the victorian/british classics and could easily fill up all twenty with Wharton, Austen, Chopin, Bronte, Dickens, Hardy, and Elliot. I'm so grateful for your suggestions and am really looking forward to this year's challenge. There's only one book that is making me feel stressed. I told my capitalist/libertarian friend that I'd read Atlas Shrugged. Have you seen that book? The paperback is still huge and has the tiniest print with over 1,000 pages. It's already intimidating me! I think it's the title. And the fact that I can't pronounce the author's first name. But, I'm going to read it! Oh, yes, I am!

3. I joined Weight Watchers today. I hesitate mentioning this because I have always, always wanted to stealthily lose weight. No big announcements. No particular focusing on that area of my life. Just, you know, the next time you see me you realize, "My goodness. Isn't she svelte?" However, I am no good at keeping anything inside, so - now you know. I wish I liked going to meetings more. The check in is so inefficient! I don't think they've updated one thing about it since the 70s. Same old bulky credit card imprinter. Everything handwritten. Long lines. Checking in is about as fun as going to the post office. I know I'm making it sound so, so great but, I am hoping the accountability will help keep my eating in check.

4. I've been so annoyed at our property managers because, for the last week, they have had the slowest painters working on re-staining the outside of the house we are living in. I'm not kidding, they've been prepping for over a week now and I feel like I live in a bubble because my windows all have plastic taped over them. Whether it needed re staining or not is debatable but it is not what this house needed fixed the most. For the last year, they have repeatedly ignored my requests to fix the tile in the kitchen which continues to get worse. Today (Jen, you would be so proud of me), I went to their office and demanded a month to month lease if they were not going to fix the tile. I wasn't angry or anything, I just said that I had no desire to live in a house where the kitchen grout is constantly coming loose and subsequently being stepped on. Not to mention how futile it makes sweeping. The owner of the company happened to be there, and she claims the tile guy just finished a job and our kitchen tile is next on his queue. We'll see. It has been 15 months since my initial complaint. Between dealing with the property managers and going to weight watchers, I feel like I'm being given a taste as to how socialism will feel.

5. Sigh. Another post without pictures. Even I am sick of my text, and I'm rarely sick of my text!:) I find the larger camera is less convenient for post illustrations. Like, only beautiful, big moments are worthy of getting the camera out of its bag. I'll remedy the situation. Expect a picture post next.

6. I'm starting to feel more like a local. Everyday I've walked on the river trail this week, I've seen people I know. From the school, from the neighborhood, from church...it's kind of fun. What's not fun is how busy it is. I rarely feel "in the clear" to make an adjustment, if you know what I mean. There's always someone around - heading towards me in the opposite direction or moving along behind me. Today, right as I was passing an elderly couple, I felt my underwear shifting into an uncomfortable position. I didn't know which was worse: to continue walking knowing they could probably tell something was askew, or adjust - which is always awkward to observe. I left everything as it was and mentally noted to wear a sweatshirt around my waist next time.

7. I am so proud of Seth! He really struggled with writing last year and had developed a significant mental block about any and all projects that required very much handwriting. Last Friday, he came home upset about the subject he was assigned for a social studies project. For some reason, he really wanted the state gem for his project. Yeah...no idea. He didn't get his first, second, third, fourth or fifth choice. He got his sixth, which was the state animal: the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. We did some home research and he went back to school on Monday pretty excited about his subject.

All week, he has worked on his assignment at home. He hand-sketched some illustrations and wrote a two-page paper using most of his bulleted facts. I loved his sentences and especially loved his get-it-done attitude which is so different from last year. Today, he got in the car after school and pulled out a Golden Eagle (a very sought after reward for good behavior. When you accumulate ten, you get a principal pride award) that he earned for his A+ report! His project was the only one given a golden eagle. I know I sound like I'm bragging about my kid (which I totally am) but I just wasn't expecting him to be recognized for his writing. Math, reading comprehension, science - yes, but writing is his Achilles heel. It's such a positive start for him in fourth grade!

7. Too much information? I know, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable myself. But, what's a blog for if not for sharing?