Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Work’ Category

Ten Things I’m Into – December 2015

Posted in Books, Music, TV, What I'm Into, Work on December 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

In no particular order, here are the highlights of my December.

photo 2 (23)

 1. Advent –

Quite possibly my favorite season of the liturgical year. Or maybe it’s just the only one I’m good at. I understand what it’s like to wait. Oh, how I understand waiting and all the complications that go with it. I put journal prompts in the pockets of my Advent calendar, and I got to go to mid-week services this year, which at least made the waiting less lonely.

photo 2 (24)

 2. A lesson in carols –

Our choir prepared extra songs for one of the services. It reminded me of being part of Christmas cantatas when I was younger. I didn’t even know I had missed doing that until this month.

 3. Person of Interest –

I LOVE THIS SHOW. I have watched through Season 4. If I cave and get cable, this show might be the reason.

photo 4 (5)

 4. Holiday snacks –

Another great thing about this time of year is the delicious snacking. I have had a ridiculous amount of sugar this month.

 5. A finals week without finals –

Finals week was pretty much just another week at work. It was a little busier with people handing in their keys before they left for the break, but no classes meant no grading, no constant barrage of emails from students who waited until the last possible moment to care about their grades, and no voice messages from the department secretary telling me that a student called because I hadn’t answered their email (that they sent an hour ago) and could I please call them back. It was such a peaceful week. I could get used to that.

photo (53)

 6. Poetry class –

I am loving Beth Morey’s Poetry Is course (and her My Fearless Year 2016 mini-course – check it out – only $12) and the books that go with it. I have had sort of a dry spell with reading, but Poemcrazy and Writing Down the Bones have been an indulgent retreat.

photo 1 (21)

 7. Stephanie getting married –

My friend Steph got married! I am so happy for her and thrilled that I could be there for her special day.

 photo (54)

 8. Spending time with family –

Growing up, the picture you see above never would have happened at my parents’ house. Animals belonged outside, and if you wanted to play with them, you would just have to go outside, too. Now, Lola has her own special spots in the house where she likes to sit. Dad’s lap is one such spot.

 I went shopping with Tammy yesterday and found all sorts of treasures (Christmas tree – $20!). Then we spent the evening watching Once Upon a Time. We’re almost through season three. I cannot handle how much I like this show.

 9. Two weeks of vacation

I’ve had a restful (well…more restful. My neighborhood is loud and obnoxious) two weeks. Monday, I go back to work and have a little over a week to ease back into being there before the residents return.

 photo 3 (10)

 10. Not putting up a Christmas tree –

Apparently, I used all my decorating energy on the Advent calendar, because I could not get motivated to put up a Christmas tree this year. About a week before Christmas, I finally admitted that it wasn’t going to happen. The candy canes on the curtain rods would just have to do.

 

 I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer. Hop over and tell us what you’re into this month!

Read Full Post »

The Best WTF Face

Posted in Rants, Work on September 16, 2015| 1 Comment »

The ninth grader in Irving who was arrested for showing his English teacher the cool clock he made has the best WTF face ever.

Yes, Ahmed Mohamed. That face exactly.

If you’re wondering if racism is still a thing, watch this story.

[Also, stop wondering if racism is still a thing.]

Watch the comments. Read the letter that the school sent to parents to cover their ass. Watch people excuse them for doing so because the school has to protect itself from liability or even praise them for grossly overreacting in the name of safety.

I disagree.

I am just as afraid as anyone about violence happening at schools. I work on a college campus. You better believe we’re suspicious and on high alert all the time. But when you make that big and that public a mistake, you admit it and apologize for it, no strings attached. It’s embarrassing enough for an institution of education to have made the mistake in the first place. It’s unconscionable not to follow up with just as big and just as public an apology.

On the bright side, he did get an informal invitation to the White House because of it.

If there are updates, I’ll edit and post them. Feel free to share related links in the comments.

Read Full Post »

Supermouth

Posted in Hope, Revolution, Work on June 23, 2015| Leave a Comment »

photo (6)

A friend once said that one of my strengths was “unlocking a conversation and cutting right to the heart of a matter.” Years later, these words still stick out in my mind, because I needed to hear that back then. I always worried that, in my concern with details, I talked around everything too much, causing people to lose interest before I ever got to the point. It was nice to hear that at least one person was able to stick it out until the end.

Then I became a public speaking instructor, and it became my job to get to the point. I became good at it, and I became good at teaching other people to do it. The fear subsided.

Now I work with college students all the time. I still teach part-time, but even in the full-time job when I’m not officially an educator, I am surrounded by people whose focus (for the most part) is processing information and figuring out how they fit into the world. As the token adult in the room (although technically, the term “adult” applies to everyone), I am often a sounding board to help them gauge how well they’re doing it (and whether they are crossing lines). There are also whispers and low voices in corners that they think I can’t hear, but they are not good at being sneaky yet, so that often becomes a learning opportunity, too.

They are used to me having something to say when issues of oppression arise. They expect me to be Supermouth. This expectation is both welcome and terrifying. I’m glad to do it, but it’s a big responsibility, and I’m not always great at it. Sometimes, we stumble through together. Mostly, though, they just listen. This is another thing that is both good and problematic.

I have a new fear.

When something happens on campus or in the world that demands notice – a rape, a suicide, irresponsible political statements about immigration, a collapsed mine or sweatshop factory that killed underpaid workers, a black girl thrown to the ground by someone she should have been able to trust to respond better, nine black people gunned down in their place of worship – they are learning to have conversations. But when someone in the room talks about something controversial or says something off-color, they all pause and look at me. I am happy to speak, but I am concerned that they are relying on me to do the speaking. I am afraid they are letting things slide – you know, the way my friends and I at that age would often let things slide – when I’m not around.

Because that’s a big part of the problem. We – both historically and currently – let things slide when there’s not a Supermouth present to confront these events and call them what they are –

Racism.

Sexism.

Heterosexism (and, um, WordPress, I’m gonna need you to recognize that as a word. It’s not new.).

A small part of me wants to remind myself that I did the same thing when I was their age. A larger part of me wants to add “…but that doesn’t make it okay.” A larger part of me is both guilty of allowing important words to go unsaid and sorry that I can’t take it back, and I don’t want that to be their story twenty years from now when they’re the Supermouth in the room. I want them to succeed where we have failed. I want to believe that it’s not too late for us to change.

I will still speak up, but I am also learning to ask the question, “What do you have to say about that?”

Read Full Post »

What I’m Into – May 2015

Posted in Books, Fun, What I'm Into, Work on May 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Well, hello! I am coming to you halfway through my decadent two weeks off from work. I’m actually sitting in the office now, but I am not above crawling under the desk if I see someone peer in.

(Just kidding, Housing. I’ll go see what they want and direct them accordingly.)

Unpopular opinion of the month: I’m totally into this rain. Yes, it has mosquito-ed up the joint, and it has been dangerous in places. It was actually flooding so much that my mom called the Thursday before Mother’s Day and said, “Don’t come home this weekend. We’re flooded in.” I do hate when my plans are thwarted, but I love the rain. I’m going to be sad to see it go, for it will be replaced by a heat that rivals the pit of Hell.

May is always a weird month.

The first part of the month is crazy  – last two weeks of school, closing down the building, etc. Our hall won Hall of the Year. I’m so excited for them. They worked so hard; I’m glad it was recognized. I also won an award at the final staff meeting – Best Sarcasm. Heh. They know me well. We also decorated mason jars. Mine became a vase:

photo 2 (5)

The last half of the month? Awesome and easy. We got everything filed away last week, trained for summer, and made the summer schedule. Then I got to hang out with some Story Sisters and drink wine with Michelle.

photo 1 (1)

This week? Staycation. Happy. I have made four (four!) trips to the recycling bins. I feel very productive. Also, I have not gotten out of bed earlier than 9:00 any day this week.

I have read more than usual this month. My favorites were Wicked by Gregory Maguire (I know – it’s about time) and Citizen by Claudia Rankine (READ IT). Goodreads keeps reminding me that I’m 19 books behind schedule, but what Goodreads doesn’t know is that it’s summer now, and summer is my big reading season. Prepare to be amazed, Goodreads.

Well, I’m off for another week. I might peck out a post on my cell phone, but I make no promises.

I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer. Come tell us what you’re into!

Read Full Post »

The End is Near

Posted in Work on May 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »

This week and next are the last two weeks of the semester (praise the lord hallelujah amen). This is what my free time looks like:

  • Grading
  • Cleaning to procrastinate grading
  • Putting on an episode of Big Bang Theory so that I can stay awake long enough to eat and then falling asleep on the couch in a weird position in the second half of the episode, causing me to wake up disoriented and sore an hour or so later
  • Grading some more
  • Daydreaming about all the things I will get accomplished when I am down to just one job for the summer
  • Making lists so that I don’t forget all the things I want to accomplish when I am down to just one job for the summer
  • Adding things like “eat snow cones” and “give myself a weekly pedicure” to the lists, because priorities
  • More grading
  • Frozen pizza, sandwiches, and cereal
  • Daydreaming about the food I’m going to make when I have time for more than frozen pizza, sandwiches, and cereal
  • Thinking, “Surely I am almost finished with grading…oh…nope,” followed by having a sad moment.

photo (1)

My book bag runneth over.

Another thing I’m doing is taking a two-week break from the Invitation Series. It will return on May 19.

Ah, May 19. What a glorious day that will be. Sun shining, birds chirping, no classes. I’m so ready for the break.

Read Full Post »

The Good Life

Posted in Fun, Work, Writing on March 26, 2015| 2 Comments »

I have mused often about what I want to be when I grow up. The answers I come up with are usually pretty vague – “a writer” or “someone who feeds people” or “professional student.” On the one hand, I know what I love. On the other hand, I don’t always know how to turn desired work into desired pay. There are a lot of jobs that involve a great deal of my desired activities, but I view most of them with a general attitude of “meh.”

The Friday before Spring Break, however, I got a taste of what it would be like for my loves to come together.

Part of the resident assistant job in Housing is to put on programs to foster hall community. One of the RAs wanted to have a cooking program, and she invited me to be a part of it. We decided that I would teach people to make a basic risotto. I took them through the process, showing them what it was supposed to look like at every step and giving them options they could add along the way. Then I gave them a one-page handout with the recipe and a summary of what they had learned at the end. It was a great afternoon.

The experience of actually enjoying these hours at work helped clarify some things for me.

1. I like teaching. I often get bogged down in the issues that plague our educational system, such as the red tape and the funding issues and the general lack of public understanding about what education is, but I like teaching. I like guiding people into learning something that they are interested in learning.

2. I like public speaking. I like finding ways to connect to an audience. Positive audience response is gratifying, and negative audience response is informative. When the audience doesn’t see the value in what they’re learning, though, it’s a rough day for both of us.

3. I like helping people discover what they have to say.  Whether it’s in writing or in speaking, I love that moment when people hear how their voice sounds for the first time – not the snarky defense mechanism that often makes up a big part of their social selves and thus their first attempts at expressing a viewpoint – but their real voice. I like teaching them how to turn that voice into a force to be reckoned with.

4. I like writing. Sometimes I feel like I don’t like writing. Usually when that happens, though, it’s because I’m trying to make what works for other people (Write every day! Have ten minutes – do some writing! Always, always be thinking about it!) work for me. I am an efficient writer, but I am not a multitasker. If I can do one thing at a time, I can get a lot done, but trying to juggle multiple things tends to derail all of them. My most productive writing structure requires me to set aside specific writing time. Handouts, blog posts, short essays – give me an hour or two, and I can sit down and churn one of those bad boys out, all the way from conception to a second or third draft (which is what you get from most of my blog posts). I can do that almost daily, but I need to find a space for it on the calendar. Longer works, like novels or longer essays/essay collections, don’t just take longer to write but also require longer stretches of time for me to make progress. There’s no sitting down to write for an hour on Fishbowl. All that’s going to do is give me just enough time to get a good writing pace going, and then I have to interrupt it to do the next thing in my schedule. Very frustrating. Small pockets of time are better used brainstorming writing ideas or art journaling. I need writing blocks, not writing moments. And as I am single with zero children, I have the ability to schedule them with relative ease.

None of this is brand-new information, but it helps with my weekly goal-setting. It reminds me what the good life looks like for me and how easy it would probably be for me to make it a habit.

Read Full Post »

Dance Party Friday – Club Trad

Posted in 31 Days, Work on October 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I started working at UNT Housing in Fall 2005.  I have met some colorful, awesome people here. One of the ones who sticks out (and who, having married one of my best friends, is pretty much stuck with me forever) is Adam.  There are many pictures I could have chosen of Adam, but I think this one pretty much encapsulates the presence he was in the hall:

Adam on a horse

(The actual quote that goes along with this photo – “How about now that I’m riding my horse? I once rode this all the way to Arizona, you know.” I wish I could make that less confusing to you…but no. That’s a whole other post, and even then, I can’t promise you would be less confused if you knew the story.)

Adam is the desk clerk who trained me. And don’t let the picture fool you – he is one of the most hard-working, competent people with whom I have ever worked.

He also started Club Trad.

Adam loves music.  You’ll note the huge binder of CDs on the desk behind him.  That is only one of several such binders in his collection. He had a different theme for every day. On Fridays, particularly on those that ended a challenging week, the theme was house music. He had to watch the lyrics of the songs he chose, because what is club appropriate is not always front desk appropriate, but he brought the party.

At SFT, we party where we’re at.

And today, we invite you to join us.

I’m committing to 31 Days of Movement.

Read Full Post »

On Not Moving

Posted in 31 Days, Work on October 9, 2014| 6 Comments »

Processed with VSCOcam with p5 preset

Yesterday, I chose to take a break from moving.

There were many factors involved in this decision. Wednesdays are my long days.  I work desk from 8:00-4:00, then I have office hours from 5:30-6:30 and teach class from 6:30-9:30, so Wednesday is my 12-hour workday. Add to this that yesterday was the first day of six that my supervisor will be out, and we no longer have a night desk clerk, so I’m the only full-time staff in the building and thus have more responsibilities.  There was no one’s office to walk to, and I had plenty at my own desk to keep me busy (and seated). Yesterday was also the monthly part-timer training that I lead, and elevators are faster than stairs. And on top of all the added work at work, I decided yesterday would be a great time to start my outline for the Feast ebook that I’m drafting in November.

By the end of the day, I was mentally done. When I finally got home, I just wanted to sit in front of the TV and veg.

So that’s what I did.

I’m not going to beat myself up for making that choice. It’s one day.  One missed day is not a big deal.

I am, however, going to remember a few things.

I am going to remember that mentally tired does not necessarily equal physically tired. Being blessed with abundant energy makes it hard to get to sleep when that energy is not used. This is shedding some light on my seasonal insomnia.

I am going to remember that having a hard time falling asleep makes it harder to get up in the morning. Instead of waking up five or ten minutes before my alarm went off, rested and ready to face the day, I woke up this morning disoriented and confused by the terrible sound that was jarring me awake. I am going to remember how unpleasant that was.

I am going to remember that even a little activity and a little stretching before bed goes a long way toward not waking up with my back in knots.

I am going to remember that vegging out is more fun when I don’t have a cloud of what-I-could-be-doing-instead hanging over me. The cloud robs relaxation of some of its joy.

I am at peace with my choice to take a day off, but I’m remembering the natural consequences.

I am committing to 31 Days of Movement (or…you know…at least writing about it).

Read Full Post »

What I’m Into – June 2014

Posted in Books, Story Sessions, What I'm Into, Work, Writing on July 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Oh, June.  I’m into you.  I didn’t expect to be.  Maybe the surprise of it is what makes it so mesmerizing.

photo 2 (2)

The snow cones don’t hurt, either.

Words:

Poetry, food, and friends.  Even with two jobs in full swing, June demands vacation reading. I moved my reading lamp to the bedroom, so I have been drenching myself in the poetry collections I keep on my bedside table every night and every morning.  Suddenly, waking up isn’t so hard to do.

Chocolat – Long-time lover of the movie (because Johnny Depp.  And chocolate.  But mostly Johnny Depp), I knew I’d love the book as well. This book will make you hungry…in so many ways.

Ruth Reichl’s debut novel Delicious! was wonderful.  I am biased, because having collected most of her other books and tried most of the recipes within them, I love her and sort of want to be her when I grow up, but Reichl knows how to tell a story.  Also – don’t worry – the gingerbread recipe is at the back of the book.

And my friend Beth Morey’s The Light Between Us was launched this month.  I ordered a paper copy but I couldn’t wait for it to get to me, so I grabbed an e-copy as well. It’s a fast read, because you don’t want to put it down.  This book + beach + mai tai = perfect day.

Friends:

June was full of fun.

Our Supper Club went to Wine Squared for Sumptuous Sundays on Father’s Day. We enjoyed a wonderful three-course meal with wine pairings for each course which included the most glorious pork loin I’ve ever eaten and a port I actually enjoyed. We, of course, hastily signed up for their wine club.  We’re hooked.

Summer seems to be the time for transitions. Several friends have moved/are moving/got new jobs, so I got to celebrate with them. My old boss Dennis got a job at another school, so the Dean of Students office (where he worked at UNT) had a farewell party for him. Lisa from my book club moved back to the east coast, so we had a special book club meeting (read: night of wine and Texas-themed food/presents) to send her off.  And Jayne and Connor are moving to Juneau soon, so I got to see her last week and will see her again at their garage sale on Saturday.  Added bonus – I bought this adorable thing from them, which is the perfect cabinet for my liquor:

photo 4 (2) photo 5

Dear Savvy turned two.  What she’s into?  Daniel Tiger and butterflies.

Savvy

 

(And cake.  And Daddy.)

Because none of us could make the in-person Story Sessions retreat in Austin, the DFW Story Sisters decided to have our own party.  Adela hosted us for an evening of wine, food, and conversation, and it was a balm to my soul.

Products:

Um, who knew about Arbonne and failed to tell me?  Kim lured me to a party one Friday with the promise of wine (pretty much the only reason I’ll ever leave my house on a Friday evening), and I’m so glad she did.  I tried all the things, and I AM NOT ALLERGIC TO ANY OF THEM. This never happens.  I ordered the daily face regime for sensitive skin and the deodorant, but I want to buy everything.  I’m having a party in August, and I’m at least going to sign up to be a preferred customer.

Equal Exchange’s Red Cherry Challenge -in addition to their already stellar business practices that ensure a livable wage and a workable business model for coffee farmers, Equal Exchange is donating ten cents for every pound of coffee purchased this year to the Red Cherry Fund, a grant program for farmers in El Salvador and Guatamala, where climate change has wreaked havoc on their businesses. I pledged to buy five pounds of coffee a month (which is actually a pretty conservative estimate for me).  Will you join the challenge?

TV/Movies:

The first weekend of the month, I did a little dogsitting, which means I also did a lot of Netflixing.  In one weekend, I watched Season 3 of Sherlock (!!!) and both seasons of Orange is the New Black (also !!!). The dogs were incredibly calm, aside from during that pesky storm incident, and I like to think it had something to do with my good taste in programming.

Well, I say they were calm.  This is the look you get from Maddie when you suggest that she “go outside” during OITNB:

photo 1 (2)

No one gives side eye like Maddie.

I also watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  I liked it, but I don’t know if I would have liked it as much as I did if I hadn’t been chatting about it via Facebook with the Story Sessions while watching it. It was clever.  You should see it.

The Internet:

– Women ignoring men as art

– June 4 was National Hug Your Cat Day, and The Bloggess encouraged all of us to celebrate.

– This was followed two days later by National Donut Day. Mmmm….donut….*salivates*

– Addie Zierman wrote The Non-Blogger’s Guide to Blogging series. This is the first blogging series that hasn’t made me want to throw my hands up in the air (and wave them like I just don’t care) and erase everything I’ve ever done online because why bother if I’m not going to be perfect at it. If you want to improve your blog but can’t stand advice on how to improve your blog, go give it a read.

So you can see why I have such a crush on June this year.  Link up with us over at Leigh Kramer’s blog to let us know what you were into in June!

Read Full Post »

Early to Bed, Early to Rise…*sigh* FINE.

Posted in Simplify, Work, Writing on June 26, 2014| 3 Comments »

DSC_0006-XL

(Photo Credit – Jennifer Upton – A Shared Lens)

Every morning, at precisely 5:03 a.m., my internal clock wakes me up.  This has been happening sporadically for about a year, but it has happened EVERY DAY for the last two weeks. It doesn’t seem to matter what time I go to bed.  I could crash at 10:30, or I can stay up reading until 2:00.  Still – 5:03.  On the dot.

I don’t know why my body has decided to betray me in such a way.  I don’t know why it’s angry with me or what I could have possibly done for it to think I deserve this treatment.  Et tu, body?

I have been ignoring it.  I have woken up, looked at my phone, seen the odious numbers 5:03, cursed vehemently, rolled over in a huff, and fallen right back to sleep.

Yet it keeps happening.

So I’m going to give in. You want to wake me up at 5:03 a.m., body?  FINE. We’ll see how you actually like getting up at that time.

My fear, of course, is that my body will like it.  I do not look forward to the few weeks it takes to adjust my falling-asleep time to the new, ungodly getting-up time. The next few weeks might be rough.

But once I do adjust (and please let it happen quickly), I foresee the following benefits:

  1. I can have breakfast and wake up (read: start caffeinating) at home, where I can do so in private, instead of at work, where I must do so around other humans. People I work with – don’t worry – there will still be coffee at the desk in the morning.  In fact, this way, you might get more than one cup before I drain the pot.
  2. I can do morning free writes leisurely, at my desk, instead of tapping away on Margeaux the iPhone, one eye still closed, in between alarm snoozes.
  3. Morning reading time?  Yes, please.
  4. Once I get used to it, I could start going to the gym again.  I am generally not a fan of the gym, but I am a fan of running.  Do you know what a good time of day to run outside in July in Texas is?  NEVER.  There’s not a good time.  It’s so hot.  You could die. So I can get up and go use the track (and maybe the weights, on days when I just flat out lose my mind and forget my personality, which is actually quite likely at 6:00 in the morning) at the gym.  Yes, I realize that the gym is open at other times of the day. But will I ever, ever go when I know that it’s full of 18-year-olds?  No.  No, I will not.  So 6:00 a.m. is my gym time, if I am to have a gym time at all.
  5. I will be able to do all of these things and still get to work on time.

So I’m skeptical, but I’m willing to try, if for no other reason than it means I’ll only have to wake up once.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »