Wellness update: The walkman mostly works, only...I forget how bulky a walkman is, and how into my workout I actually get. I think I can keep expanding my mind on the elliptical, though. I know y'all are thrilled to hear the news.

Speaking of news, there's some glum news about my job--It won't be there next year. The other day my boss came to the assistant's meeting to tell us about drastic budget cuts, and to say that it will affect our school in a big way ("I've never seen the budget like this"). I was collecting my thoughts after-the-fact, and was just about to go tell her that I was officially not coming back next year when I was called in and told that there wouldn't be a position there. It was actually kind of a relief, because when she closed the door and asked me to sit I thought she'd say don't come back after Christmas. Still, it's no good to be reminded of the terrible economy.

And so...I make paper snowflakes.

This one was missing a fold. I spent a lot of time on it, though, and want to find a use for it. Methinks...nativity? Am I missing little snow animals? Little snow couple? Little snow baby? Hmm. Good thing I saved the scraps. -TZC

Work me (out)!

My job leaves me tired and unmotivated to do much in terms of working out. This has left me glum and has made my heart rate kind of jumpy. However, I do tend to like to sit in the car and listen to talk radio a bit after school, pre-home, often over chick-fil-a, which wastes both time and money.

That said, I have a plan to combat several of the non-productive habits above, and a few not yet listed, by combining them:

Because I like to hear a calm voice talking to me about grown-up things right after a day of "MISS GRISWOLD! IT'S A WORM!!! (oooooh. That's a bug, baby.) IT'S A WORM BUG!!," because Daddy has several college courses-on-tape crowding the cabinet, because he has a walkman that is no longer getting any use, and because I need something to listen to that will both motivate me to go to the gym and allow me to chill on the elliptical (none of this: omg go fast-->wild and crazy heart rate), I plan to embark on a series of lectures. Subject matter? None other than the comedies and tragedies of Shakespeare. Body Fierce. Mind Fierce.

I'll let you know how it goes. Maybe in iambic pentameter.

Thena Z

"...But the fact was, the only four things that interested me were: reading books, going to the movies, tap dancing, and drawing pictures. Then one day I started writing not knowing that I had chained myself for life to a noble but merciless master. When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended solely for self-flagellation.

But of course I didn't know that...It was a lot of fun--at first. It stopped being fun when I discovered the difference between good writing and bad, then made an even more alarming discovery: the difference between very good writing and true art; it is subtile but savage. And after that, the whip came down!" -Truman Capote in the Preface to Music for Chameleons

lady grey

Amanda (Brother's fiance as opposed to my dear friend from college) sent me a message last night asking for some direction. She and Ken wanted to buy me some jewelry on Etsy for Christmas. I looked where I sent them, and noted how extraordinarily girly all my choices are, and promptly embraced it. Amanda said they bought something. The anticipation begins.

Tall towers, peas, and frog prince beasts,

ThenaZ

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34841725

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33531119

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34244127

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23473559

http://www.etsy.com/shop/whiteowl

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28463039

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34405126

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33328387&ref=sr_gallery_18&&ga_search_query=hammered+hoop+gold&ga_search_type=&ga_page=13&order=price_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

"...every pile of paper examined, and every unpaid bill discovered brings up a new feeling of failure, a new recognition of opportunities abandoned, another reminder of a way she didn't measure up. These kinds of feelings prevent her from having the kind of help necessary to move ahead. Unless these kinds of emotions are understood by the individual and by everyone trying to help her, she will eventually run into a brick wall. Before a coach, a friend, a counselor, or family member can intervene effectively, they must understand the level of difficulty that the woman may have employing strategies that sound completely reasonable to the person suggesting them. A woman develops a desire to avoid triggering those old maligning messages at any cost. In order to maintain any appearance of competency that she has managed to achieve, she slowly but steadily, even without her full awareness, begins to hide parts of herself."-Women with Attention Deficit Disorder by: Sari Solden.

...Wow.

rosebuds. mini-rosebuds.

Today a student we'll call Taylor gave out shell necklaces he had bought "at the beach" to his teachers.  This morning he bypassed Miss Bailey to give me mine.  Later I heard that he had previously told Mrs. Westmoreland that one of the necklaces was for "the good lookin' one."  When she asked who he said "Miss Griswold."  In class he gave me a 2 or 3 spontaneous hugs and was bummed-to-teary when he couldn't hold my hand in the circle: "Taylor, it is not that serious.  Go hold Lucy's hand."  When he saw me after school he said "Come here, Miss Griswold" and when I got there, he said "I want you to be the one to walk me out to my mom and dad today.  Will you be the one to walk me out there?"  I walked him to the teacher that was waiting outside, and he still protested.

 "Somebody needs to let him know that you can't go fallin' in love with every pretty lady who plays music you like and lets you dance around," I told Miss Meadows.  She agreed, and said "Oh, but that one will."  

Precious moments,

Thena Z

grove(r). "...aaand blankets."

More inspiration:
grover is peg-board colored.

*****

Gym project mini-stream:

Leaf streamers and fake leaves

structures/environments from supplies I have: nets, fun noodles and connectors, plastic rods and connectors, kiddie swimming pools, etc.

dance surface for floor work that can be cleaned-tarp or drop-cloth-like material?  Vinyl? 

sticky pads for personal space squares-or retired carpet squares

So many more ideas!  I like this job.

I leave you with more grover.  One of my favorites.

"We've got spaghetti!" ThenaZ