The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:03:08 GMT

I haven't posted much due to the fact that I'd like to avoid only whining on Livejournal. But I haven't had too much else to say, frankly. Today's my first day back at the tutoring center, which, let me tell you, I'm just ecstatic about. At the very least, though, they were pretty excited to have me back, so there's some consolation in that.

In good news, I had an interview for one of the editing internships I applied for, and am keeping my fingers crossed for that. It would involve real editing work, including reading manuscripts and line edits, so it has the potential to be excellent experience, even if there's no actual money involved. And if I decide I don't like it, I don't have to quit yet another job or school program; I just have to finish the internship and go, ok, that's not for me.

I've been playing Dragon Age quite a bit, and I must say that I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It's the first story-based video game I've played in a long time that I've really felt was worth my while.

In other good news, it's Christmastime, I'm in love with my husband, and, honestly, there are a lot of things in my life that are worthy of my appreciation. I need to work harder at recognizing that.

That's gratitude for you.

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:10:38 GMT

My seventh grade boys bought me a copy of Lego Rock Band as a going-away present. Because they are awesome.

The horse knows the way

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:47:50 GMT

Last day of school today. I'm glad, but also not, just because of the circumstances. It's been an odd, pretty hard week, and yet, I've still been weirdly detached. Clearly it's taking a toll, though: last week I had two migraines. I hadn't had one, previous to those two, in...nine months or so, I think. Point being, I think it's good that I'm done, and I think I really need a rest. I didn't work out today or yesterday, and feel nothing but relief about that choice, which is a pretty good marker of my exhaustion level. This huge life decision stuff, is, as it turns out, difficult and tiring, even after the decision-making part is finished.

Anyway, off to my parents' for Thanksgiving tonight, and I can't wait. We're having three kinds of pie. There are four of us. It's going to be fabulous.

Increase your yield!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:46:58 GMT

You know you're up too early when they're advertising hybrid corn breeds on the morning news. Me and the farmers, up at 5.

A mere pittance

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:32:28 GMT

I'm not dead, really. School is sometimes making me feel like it, though. I'll post and tell you about it eventually, but I'm pretty uncertain and stressed right now.

On the plus side, the Foreign Service wants me to come to DC and interview with them.

Vindication.

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:02:05 GMT

So, guys, especially Eric, Ryan, Josie, and Alex, remember this?

Ahem.

Dissonance. You know what kind.

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:43:37 GMT

Contrary to appearances, I'm actually alive. School and posting do not go that well together. You're probably wondering how things are going with the school thing. The answer is that it depends on when you ask me. I pretty much fluctuate between, "Pretty good. Classes seem to be going well, I'm on my feet, and I have my moments of clarity and even joy," and "Good God, why did I decide to do this? It's a ridiculous amount of work and I'm really worried I'm going to fuck it up, not to mention the fact that it's nearly impossible to stop thinking about it in my free time and wondering if I'm making the right life choices."

Usually, when I get to class and start teaching, things are good. That's a good sign, I think, but still, there's some stress.

The weekend was good. Indian food and friends, a trip to the Arboretum, and as much relaxation as I could get. Elias.

Not helping.

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:50:16 GMT

There's the overwhelming terror.

Note to anyone designing teacher workshops: Do not ask all your teachers their worst fears for the coming school year as a bonding activity.

I think it's the excitement that only a free man can feel.

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:32:03 GMT

Oh, man, I am so excited to have a real job that actually requires me to think and that I care about. I would say, "It's been so long," but I believe it's actually never happened before. If you don't count college and graduate school as jobs (and you shouldn't, because they're sort of a different animal), I've honestly never had a job that paid any decent amount and also required a skill set that I had purposefully developed and pursued. I've had one or the other of those, but never both together.

Orientation went well. I'm looking forward to workshops next week and to the school year starting. I'm a little scared, but I find that I'm more excited than frightened. I'm pretty confident that I'm going to be good at this. Maybe even great.

The mysterious Orient

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:14:24 GMT

Resolution, much like this post, has failed to arrive with due celerity. In other words, the job situation is pretty much the same and not what you'd call ideal. Alas.

On the other hand, I'm done with tutoring and have my first day of new teacher orientation tomorrow. I'm both excited and incredibly nervous about the beginning of school. It's one of those things that there's just no real way to completely prepare for, which makes me a bit uncomfortable. I'm confident that I'll do well, but you know how nerves are. In addition to that, it's always hard to decide how much lesson planning to do in advance. I'm going to stick with the week of buffer that I figured out was best during my student teaching. Any less and it feels dangerous; any more and you're starting to waste your time because you have to change things too much. But I still feel guilty for not planning the entire semester ahead of time, because people always seem to expect that of you (because they don't know anything about teaching and don't realize it's pretty much impossible, but there you go). That said, planning is a lot easier at this school because the curriculum is all paced out, so I just have to look at the guide, go, "Here's the lit I'm doing this week," and figure out how to teach it. It's hard to put that into perspective for non-teachers, but believe me, it simplifies things.

Anyway, it'll be good to actually get oriented tomorrow, since I feel a little like I don't know anything about the school yet. Next week is teacher workshops and classroom organization, so I'll have some time to get stuff together, meet people, and plan, and then a week from Monday is the first day of school. Man is there not going to be sleeping that Sunday night. Just saying.

I've had not enough time off, and now realize I should have left the tutoring center earlier, but done is done and all that. I did have time to make sushi for the first time this week, though. It was just vegetable rolls, but they came out awesome, and I'm kind of in love with the sushi rice I made. I was pretty impressed with myself, I must say. I also made Boeuf Bourguignon and Butternut Squash and Mushroom Soup, both of which were excellent. I'm all for a recipe that starts with three pounds of beef, a half a pound of bacon, and an entire bottle of wine.

My agenda for the rest of the day consists of taking Elias out to lunch and getting a massage. I can live with that.

Will try to post more, because that last break was shameful.

The unexamined life

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:59:49 GMT

So I read a bunch of Livejournal archives the other night, among them the year's worth that I was at Duke doing my student teaching, and two things struck me rather forcefully: first, I was incredibly hard on myself for making classroom management mistakes that were virtually unavoidable, and second, that recording my experiences that year was extremely valuable for my sanity then and my reference now. This isn't really germane to anything, but I intend to keep a fairly comprehensive chronicle of my teaching this year, too, as a result of rereading those entries and finding them so enlightening. So, you can look forward to another year of my self-criticism and angst. (Actually, I expect to have a considerably easier time of it this year, even if I am the only one in charge this time around. Knock on wood.)

On an unrelated note, the weather has been ridiculously awesome here for the last few days. High 70s to low 80s and sunshine with light breezes. It's the perfect Midwestern summer.

Somebody tell me some good fantasy books to read. I'm beginning to despair of ever finding one again.

Pout and whine and feel the burden of Slayerness

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:26:18 GMT

I'm alive, I just use up all my blogging momentum in Deus Ex Libris and it shows in my Livejournal.

Things, overall, are good. I've had good times with lots of people lately.

That said, I'm tired of work and the fact that our schedules are completely up in the air. I never know when I'm actually done with work until I get there in the morning, and it sucks. But I've got a little less than four weeks left, so I'll live.

Also, I got a speeding ticket for going 10 over yesterday, and the fine is $145. That's out of control, in my opinion. And it would have been the same for any speeding I'd been doing, from 1-19 miles per hour over the limit. Blech.

Whine whine whine. It's what Livejournal is for, after all, isn't it?

For art's sake!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:03:15 GMT

So, finally, a few details about my new job and Elias's old job. I'll be teaching one section of junior AP Literature, two sections of ninth grade English, and one section of eighth grade English. Every class, however, is accelerated, and the entire school has extremely high academic standards. The curriculum for most classes is about a year ahead of the average school's curriculum content for those classes. The curriculum at the school is planned and dictated to the extent that there are pacing guides, but lesson planning is up to the individual teacher. Grading is based entirely on exams, of which there are many, all pre-written by the school. I'm sure some of you are thinking that there's not a lot of freedom, but frankly, and especially as a new teacher, I'm pretty happy to have clear guidelines on which I can base my lesson and course plans for the year. Add to that the two distinct advantages of this system - one, that I will know exactly how the students who come into my classes have been prepared, and two, that I never have to write tests - and I'm actually psyched to work with this setup. The position will officially start sometime around the middle of August, and I'm supposed to have a meeting this week with the Assistant Principal and the Chair of the English Department, too.

In other news, Elias miraculously has his job back for at least three months, with the additional bonus that he'll be able to accept one of the jobs he applied for during the period when he thought he was laid off, should he choose to do so, with no penalties. His company got a bunch of new work at the last second and decided they needed him after all, so there was a weekend of pressured, confusing decision-making about that, during which he got another interview as well. It was a crazy, ridiculous ride, this whole thing, but it seems to have turned out for the best. (Also, I have to say that I found it gratifying how quickly he got interviews. In my experience, the corporate world rarely recognizes awesomeness, but it seems for my amazing, incredible husband, they're willing to make an exception. (Yes, I'm sickeningly affectionate. Bite me.))

Other than Elias's crazy job stuff, the weekend was pretty great. Friday Elias and I got Izzy's ice cream to celebrate my getting a job. Salted caramel ice cream is completely awesome. (I know, I'm an insane sodium addict. But still.) Saturday I had lunch at Saji-ya with Emily, and both the sushi and the conversation were excellent. Afterward, Elias and I went to Peter's pool party and spent a ludicrous amount of time swimming, which was lovely. Finally, on Sunday Elias and I went to the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

I officially lodge a complaint with those of you who've been to the MIA and didn't enthusiastically berate me to visit. What the heck is the matter with you? And, for that matter, everyone in the Cities. I thought it was kind of a half-assed, local, tiny collection, but instead it's a large, properly specialized, well curated, Genuine Art Museum. They have a vast and amazing Asian art collection that contains, among lots of other beautiful things, Hasui woodblock prints. I had no idea that they were there, and he's one of my favorite artists! We saw the paid exhibition, too, which was William Holman Hunt, who also happens to be one of my favorite artists. It was such a pleasure to get to see his paintings in person when I've looked at them so often in prints and online. (You didn't know I was a crazed lover of visual art, did you? Well, now you do.) Anyway, I officially love the MIA, and I now enthusiastically berate any of you who live in the Cities and haven't been to go. (Unless you're Emily and you hate museums.)

Tristan the hell-fiend has decided that the kitchen counter is his new favorite place, which is getting really old. He's adorable, but sometimes I want to throttle him. This is why I shouldn't have children.

Work scheduling has been obnoxious. They have me scheduled for time periods like 9:00am to 7:30pm, but then, when I get there, it turns out I'm actually only working until 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon. I just...I've got stuff to do, you know? I appreciate being able to plan my time so that I use it efficiently. Do you think I would get up at 6 o'clock in the morning to work out if I thought I was getting off work at 1:00? ("No, no, god no," is the answer you're looking for there.)

I am pleased that I decided to look at the radar when deciding when to take a walk this afternoon. I got home about five minutes before it really started raining. Go me. Also, the National Weather Service.

It's Elias's birthday on Friday, and my parents will be in town on Friday and Sunday, so I'm quite looking forward to the weekend. Let's just skip right to it.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:07:24 GMT

I got the job teaching at the International School!

I have been waiting so, so long to get a real job that I am incapable of fully realizing what's going on. Full-time, private school employment at an internationally-focused institution with an average class size of 17. That's what's going on.

Jobs and vocations

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:55:28 GMT

I'm alive. I haven't wanted to post much lately. Elias lost his job and it sucks.

I had a second interview at the International School of Minnesota, which is, of course, a good sign, but I'm virtually ignoring the possibility of getting the job so as not to get my hopes up.

Elias and I are taking the Foreign Service Test on Wednesday. I'm sort of looking forward to it, actually. At the very least, it'll be interesting.

I start working a summer schedule this week at tutoring, so I'll be getting a lot more hours. That's good, financially. I'm a little afraid of my 9-6 shift tomorrow, though, just because it's kind of a lot of straight teaching, what with no breaks aside from one half hour. Ah, well.

I'm sort of leaving out the emotional and reflective bits of this because I don't know what to say about them, especially in a public forum.

La vitesse

Wed, 27 May 2009 19:22:33 GMT

Explain to me why I have the theme from Speed stuck in my head.

Non est vivere sed valere vita est.

Sun, 24 May 2009 16:28:22 GMT

I feel good. I don't know if it's spring turning to summer, or if it's finally getting over this cold I've had, or if it's the glimmer of hope that was my job interview at the International School, or if it's just a good moment, but I'm content not to reason why.

I love my amazing husband, we had an excellent party full of friends and games and laughter last night, I have two days off in a row, the weather's gorgeous, there's a purring kitten in my lap, the triple-chocolate cookies I made came out intoxicatingly good, I'm reading a book I really like, I had my favorite student at tutoring yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks and she said, "Finally! It's been so long!" when I came over to get her, and I am pretty darn happy about life in general. It's nice.

You can whistle really loud.

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:03:18 GMT

Somehow I managed to get sick again, more than a week ago now, and I'm still feeling pretty drained from it. I think I've got a sinus infection; the congestion won't go away, and I keep getting headaches in the front of my skull. Blah.

Anyway, despite the illness, it was a pretty good weekend. Betsy and Richard's housewarming party was fun, I got to see Luke unexpectedly, and I got to see Star Trek again. Still good. The science makes even less sense the second time around, but we don't really care, do we?

(I debated whether to share this next bit in a public forum, but I might as well, since I don't really believe in jinxes, after all.) I also had a job interview yesterday morning to teach high school English next year at the International School of Minnesota. It's a job at a private school that emphasizes internationalism and has extremely high academic standards for its students, rendering it possibly more attractive than anything I've even seen posted in a long time. The interview went well, but I won't know for at least a couple of weeks. I'm trying not to get too invested, but it's pretty hard.

Keep Austin weird.

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:25:15 GMT

Hey, we're back from Austin. Yesterday was all crazy, so no chance to post, but the trip was great. We relaxed a lot, and ate delicious food (also a lot), and had a wonderful time. I also got a pedicure with my mom while Elias went target shooting with my dad. (Don't think the ridiculous gender division of that has escaped me.) Pedicures, just so you know, are pretty much awesome. I can take or leave the nail polish, but the warm whirlpool foot bath and massage...that part's pretty ok.

We did, in fact, see the bats, as promised. It was pretty spectacular, I must say. There were thousands and thousands of them. From the time they started leaving the bridge to when they finally tapered off, they streamed out continuously for twenty minutes. They stayed together in columns in the sky, spiraling and twisting out into the distance like skeins of black smoke against the clouds. I recommend checking it out if you're ever in Austin. We went right up on the bridge to see them, so they were flying out beneath us, perhaps fifteen feet away at the most. The oddest thing about it was the fact that you could smell them - it was like (and forgive this for sounding utterly strange) old bones with hide and fur still clinging to them.

As far as Austin goes, we also got completely amazing Mexican food (truly Mexican, too - regional, almost Mayan stuff with names like Txin Pec), and awesome ice cream at a local ice cream joint.

Seeing my parents was really nice; I forget how much I miss my family sometimes. Elias is undeniably comfortable and welcome and loved, too, and has, in fact, been completely assimilated into the Dawson hive mind. He even won Trivial Pursuit.

So, yeah, great time. (As a side note, when one has a tiny kitten, one's old 12-pound black cat looks like an enormous monster when one sees her again.)

At least you'll have company.

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:54:26 GMT

Three things:

1. I am confused about why everyone liked Slumdog Millionaire so much. I only got halfway through. After ten minutes I'd gotten the point, and it seemed like the rest was pretty much beating a dead horse. Or a child in the slums. That had been blinded with hot oil. And possibly raped.

2. There's a Trader Joe's opening about five minutes from our apartment and I'm pretty damn excited.

3. We're going to Austin to see my parents this weekend, and I am pretty damn excited for that, too. We're going to see the Congress Avenue Bridge bats and it promises awesomeness.

Ask and ye shall receive

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:32:52 GMT

By popular demand, pictures of Tristan, our new kitten.

I'll warn you, he was a very sleepy kitty when these were taken.

Fluff!

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:29:20 GMT

We have a kitten! He's helping me type. vq2 qeeee

See?

It is impossible to keep a straight face in the presence of one or more kittens.

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:54:09 GMT

I don't know why it is that I can't seem to post in here very often. I'll put it down to Deus Ex Libris, and we'll pretend that's a good excuse. Anyway, things are good. I've felt a little more emotionally stable lately, which I think is largely due to the fact that I've been eating more calories. At the moment, the scale's registering a bit high, which I'm not happy about, but I think it might be decidedly feminine water retention, so we'll see what happens. I don't know...I don't want to gain weight back, but it's nice to feel more energetic and less insane from low blood sugar.

In other news, we finally found a kitten to adopt. We'll be able to get him next weekend, meaning the weekend of the 4th and 5th, after he's been neutered. I'm really excited and trying not to be too impatient for him. It's hard, because I feel like a little kid about this. I want my kitten now!

It seems like there's tons of stuff going on in the next month. The kitten to begin with, of course, but my brother's coming early next week, and then the following weekend is Easter, the next Elias's test for his half-black belt, and the weekend after that we go to Austin to visit my parents. It's nice to have a lineup of cool stuff to do.

If you'd like to see a picture of our kitten-to-be, he's the one in the center.

Little things

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:25:57 GMT

It's been a bit of up and down this week. Elias got his medical statements from the insurance company, and it's not pretty, so that wasn't much good. We still haven't found a kitten, which is immaterial, really, but frustrating. I slept extremely poorly on Monday night and was a little grumpy because of it.

And yet, I've gotten to walk outside four times this week in blue skies and sunshine. I discovered a new kind of Chinese black tea with ginger that's amazing. The medical bills are not impossible to pay, and ensure the health of the husband whom I love*. The kitten will come eventually. Things are actually pretty good, when I think of what's most important.

*This may seem shallow, but can I just say that every time I come home when he's at Tae Soo Do and see his open sword case in the bedroom, I'm like, "That's right. My husband is out practicing with his sword." The word badass springs to mind. I'm not going to say I love him more because of it, but it's debatable.

A good kitten is hard to find.

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:01:06 GMT

It was a pretty good week this week. I honestly don't have a whole lot of reasons to cite, but it's sixty degrees outside right now, and I'm feeling pretty generous in my praise of just about anything. Except Atlas Shrugged, which I continue to hate. So, there you are.

No luck finding a kitten yet. We kind of want a kitten kitten - as in "young enough to enjoy the incredibly adorable stage," but there aren't any to be had for love or money. We're continuing to look, but if anyone knows of any out there, let us know.

The weekend was lovely - beautiful day on Sunday, and Elias and I walked outside some and played lots of video games. Saturday was a successful shopping trip with Kate, and then dinner at the new Indian place on Grand with Elias. It was really good. I've had better naan and samosas, but the Chicken Vindaloo and Rogan Josh were excellent. Their plain basmati rice was bizarrely satisfying as well. Anyway, quite nice.

Today I booked plane tickets to visit my parents in Austin and took a walk outside. The world is full of sun and blue skies, sooner or later we'll have a kitten, I'm madly in love with my husband, and life is good.