kabong!

Friends. This is a maddening time of year, but I'm so thankful. Had precious HOURS with some friends of 10 years this week, three coffee meetings in between, received encouragement, books, ideas that will propel my writing for years to come. Have seen the Durham downtown lights at least 2 nights, and tonight, it's off to Raleigh to bake cookies with precious women. What amazes me is that none of us gave each other gifts, but we encouraged each other and that is worth way more than any Target purchase.

One of the most exciting things, faithful blog readers, to announce to you first is that my birthday party will actually BE on my birthday: January 22, 2009 - a Thursday. I'll send invites soon with more details :). Having a party this epic makes me feel like this:
Some brief shots of teaching to humor you:
I just finished working with Romeo and Juliet. The kids had to perform skits in different time periods: the 20s, the 30s, the 50s, the 60s, the 70s. One of the weirdest questions I got during this process was, "Can we wear fat suits?" This question came from the two smallest girls I've ever taught. The kids also had to incorporate slang from their time period into their skit. The group from the 30s used the word "sucks." I still haven't asked him if this originated from the 30s. And probably the most interesting thing, I've had two dating couples in the same class this semester. This latest really perplexed me - I saw them hugging in the hall and promptly thought, "How did this happen? They sit on opposite sides of the room!" Lo and behold, the next day were skit performances and I realized, "Oh, they were in the same skit group." I continue my refrain, "There is no love in English!" *Sigh* - it never works.

Next, I teach poetry. I am excited about it, but my deepest teaching question remains: How do you get guys to like or just have a passing interest in poetry?

For sure, my next post will be pictures and updates from Budapest. I have a lot to do between now and then. Happy Holidays to all!

jane austen

her birthday is December 16th - she's turning 233!

today has been awesome! I encouraged a student to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem - she's just the girl for it. I almost cried thinking how I could have had this opportunity in high school, but have always been proud that I bloomed a little later because art has helped me much.

Anyway, I think this is sort of a save-the-date: I'm turning 233 on Jan. 22nd (this is my real age: I told my students it was somewhere between 103 and 269). Jan. 22nd is a Thursday, but my party will probably be on a Saturday, like the whole day, so people can float in and out. Please save the date, I have some good ideas: JANUARY 24th, 2009!

Gearing up for Budapest! I'll be bringing an empty suitcase back (making deliveries to missionaries) - any small requests? I'll bring lots of paprika, of course.

slow down

It's so good to do this once in a while. I've stayed home a startling 3 nights this week so far - one of them was a SATURDAY (unbelievable, I know). I appreciate all the friends I said no to who made this possible.

Anyway, in my reading adventures, I found a really beautiful snippet of a poem I thought many people should hear. It should encourage the socks off you (that's right - you'd better be barefoot next time I see you):

From "August in Waterton, Alberta" by Bill Holm

Above me, wind does its best

to blow leaves off

the aspen tree a month too soon.

No use wind. All you succeed

in doing is making music, the noise

of failure growing beautiful.