Substitute Chronicles #22985: Carolyn and Brandon forever... or at least until Monday.

I subbed for a kindergarten class this week. Just mornings. When I taught kindergarten full time I would collect stories regularly and write them down on whatever I could find quickly because the moment would pass; paper plates, napkins, post-it notes, my hand. This week wasn't bearing much fruit in the "folklore" category and I was becoming a bit disappointed. Today was a good day, though.

I was sitting with Levi and Brandon working on a puzzle and Levi (quite a loquatious boy) begins talking to Brandon (not so much... more of a dullard. He stood for 10 min. before this chosen activity, in the middle of the room, trying to decide how he was going to spend his free time) Levi takes off talking and the conversation went a little like this...

Levi: (insert various "um" 's and "hey" 's, all the while neither boy is looking at each other but the puzzle) Hey Brandon while you were gone in Florida I started liking Carolyn and she and I hung out and so while you were gone I liked her is that ok? I wanted to ask if that's ok because you were gone in Florida and I liked her so I started liking her while you were gone and and now you're back from Florida so I have a deal that we can make can we make a deal because when you're gone I can like Carolyn and when you're back you can like Carolyn so that's my deal do you think it's a good deal do you want to make that deal?

Brandon: (pause) Sure

Good... glad to know the girl's that expendable to you, Brandon. This is where it all begins. Levi totally went in for Brandon's girl. This is not going to go so well for him in the future. Clearly Brandon doesn't feel that attached to her. Or... he's a push over, which may entirely be the case. Or... he may just know how to pick his battles and he's actually quite a clever boy because at the end of the day when the students were being asked what they were going to do over the weekend Carolyn said she'd be having a "tea party... with a REAL tea set". But when Brandon was asked what he'd be doing he said "having a tea party with Carolyn"... and that's where it is. Levi will be playing his X-box. Maybe Brandon just knew "fine... like her... but you're a dork because she's going to end up with me because I will play tea party with her while you're off running virtual cars off the road. Carolyn and I... what we have is something real." and a date.

The Table

I have this written on my work table...

The Table

on the four legs of my table,
i unwind my odes.
i put out bread, wine, and the roast (black ship of dreams)

or i spread scissors, cup, nails,
carnations, hammers,
my faithful table
a four legged titan,
bears up both my dreams
and my life

- pablo neruda

"oh! I forgot I owned that!"

2 1/2 hours... that's all it took to move; to load up my crap, eat a few bagels, and take off. Unload time, minimal. What a team.

I'd like to say it's because they love me so much, but it's more likely it was because it was 15 degrees.

Bless them anyway.

Now the unpacking. My things have been out of sight, so, out of mind, since November 1... It's like Christmas... but a nightmarish one because everything I boxed up to give away has just been regifted... back to myself. That kind of sucks.

Here's to the first time owning my own house (read: "here's to the first time I get to owe the bank more money for anything I've ever owned... ever... for the basic human, physical need of shelter")

I'll post pictures of this sweet little abode soon. Stay tuned.

Swift Move '06

For those joining the partay tomorrow, here you go - Directions and Details

Things that are red...

What a good, strong color.

Well, I actually began this post sometime mid-December and never finished it. But I just read Mandy Drury's post on her favorite things and then I remembered I had started a "my-favorite-RED-things" post... and never finished. So, it IS Valentine's Day and I wore red today because, well, I really love this color, so here's my in-honor-of-red post... and the things that I like that are so.

Begun 12.15.05
I have been mulling over the idea of painting my main room a form of red (Not like.. "RED" - but a hearty red... this isn't going anywhere, is it?) I met the house inspector this morning and we went in and I got to review the room I would like to paint red and I still think it's a good choice. But this red-liking isn't simply relegated only to the function of paint in my life... there are many other "red" loves

* Red Sweatpants... I have friends that say, "once you have started wearing these in public, it is clear you've given up." I'm not entirely sure. I bought these a week ago from Old Navy and I am finding I would like to wear these everywhere. I have even thought about them during the day. I am loving them.
* Poppies - I'm kind of tweaking this because more often than not, people see the orangish ones. I like the red. I am not taking drugs... but might fail a drug test if I'm with these beauties of the yard a bit too long.
* Red Glass- My dad collects kerosene lanterns. A small group of them have these brilliant red glass globes and they're sitting in a ground level window in the corner of my parent's basement. I have a few candle holders that are red. One's a star from Seattle a friend brought home. It hangs from my ceiling.
* Red Sweatshirt- worn separately from the red sweatpants because, 1. THAT'S when I'll have given up. 2. They're two different shades of red. But this garment was a quest. I had begun on a journey with the red sweatshirt a while ago. Fellow journey-ers, chime in here. Quick version... a red sweatshirt was left at a friend's house during a meeting. No one claimed it, so the owner of the house did. She washed the sweatshirt one day. The sweatshirt changed hands to the people sharing space in their home... well, people... a person of the people sharing space in their home. This person had the sweatshirt (that the owner of the house had been in petition for) When the people sharing space with the homeowner's moved, the sweatshirt moved with them. I was at their house one day and cold. I got to borrow the sweatshirt with the mandate that it must be returned and I guess I don't understand because the sweatshirt didn't really have an owner in the beginning... shouldn't it just pass into my care? Apparently that was not the reasoning of the overpowering lender. Anyway, I finally found a great one at Marshall's. I love this red sweatshirt.
* Tomatoes - you either love them or you hate them. I love them. I have always loved them. My dad is an expert at growing them. Nothing better than one from the garden. This is one of my favorite things about summer.
* Simply Red - I liked this band in the 80's. And they contributed "Don't forget about me" from The Breakfast Club. Thanks.
* Stop signs - well, because they help keep us safe. They're likable enough for that reason. We should offer props for all they give to society.
* Red Osier Dogwood branches - Last Thanksgiving my cousin and I made an impromptu garland out of the stuff. A little Martha Stewart-ish, but I've liked the stuff ever since. I think I have one of these trees in my new yard.
* Pomegranates - I love these. They're gorgeous pieces of fruit.

Now after all this on red... I'll probably paint the rooms yellow.

Post Script... I actually painted the room brown... -ish.

Cut and...

Paste magazine: Just in case you have not been made aware... this is a good idea.