Wednesday, December 22, 2010

WNBP: Four Sessions Later...

I, your faithful Sheepish Blogger, has successfully managed to survive two days of teacher workshops and can now say that I am on vacation for reals and trulies.  I suppose there are harder ways to make a living.  One probably shouldn't complain about sitting in reasonably comfortable chairs and enjoying free central heating whilst others toil in the harsh elements for a few coppers. 

But anything a body has to do right before going on vacation can seem kind of rough even if that isn't an entirely reasonable way to feel.  It's all behind me now, though.  Nothin' but vacation time and a rather impressive holiday to contend with at this point.  Oh, and the Wednesday Night Bullet Post!  Can't forget that, now can we?

*This year's workshops weren't all that bad, really.  I took mine in four sessions.  A biggie first thing in the mornings and short ones in the afternoon.


*Long time to sit in the morning, but way less in the way of walking from place to place.


*Even got to go to a knitting group for the Wellness session on Monday!


*Happily, they didn't schedule a keynote speaker for the last session this year.  


*Individual groups and staggered dismissal times.


*Hence, I didn't have to sit in the parking lot for an hour while 45,000 of my colleagues forced their cars through six exit points in a mad dash towards vacation.


*I knit a scarf.  Not a whole scarf.  Only about three feet.


*Not my personal record, but still impressive.


*Three feet could make a scarf, I suppose.  Short scarfs are rather cute.


*I like longer scarves.  Except when they trail in the mud or dog poo.


*Then I think shorter scarves are the best thing ever.


*Hold on a second...Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty in the kitchen.


*Can't see him but, from the look on his brother's face, nothing good is going on in there.


*OK.  I'm back.  Nothing to see.  He's too crafty for that.  


*Very innocent looking kitty in my kitchen.


*Will check for damage later...


*Glad I managed to get a few more books downloaded onto my Sony e-reader.


*Friend from my former school wanted to show me his new Nook.


*It's the color one.  Very pretty and highly distracting during teacher workshops.


*Could have been an impulse purchase waiting to happen had I not planned ahead.


*Fingerless Mitts?

I haz them!!


*Actually, that's not true.


*It would be more proper to say, "I hadz them."


*I gave these as gifts to my teaching assistants.  


*Easy and quick.  And cute.


*Am making more just because I can...


*I forgot to go to the school library before the start of vacation.


*CURSES!!  


*But I fed the e-reader and that might keep me going for a little while.


*I finished Pure Dead Trouble a few days ago.


*Just started Anansi Boys.  


*How is it possible that I have not read this before???


*I loved American Gods: A Novel.  I've read it ten times, for God's sake!!!


*I guess it's good that I've finally gotten around to it now...


*I also read I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver Books) and Mr. Monster (John Cleaver Books).


*I listen to a podcast in which the author participates and I've been meaning to get to them.


*Some people say that he is skirting a little too close to the Dexter (Dexter: The First Season) model.


*They are not wrong.  


*However, what he does do very well is develop character.  That's where it all works here.


*Warning:  These are dark.  Not as dark as other stuff.  Maybe not even as dark as the author intended...


*But still very dark.  


*I have come to the conclusion that the Christmas shopping is never really done.


*There is always "one more thing" I'd like to get.


*But I still think I'm going to have a workable pile o' gifties come December 24th.


*And, if I don't, I'm told that the holiday isn't going to be cancelled so whatever I've managed by then will have to be good enough.


*Also need to bake some bread.


*Not arriving with the promised leaven loaves might cause the family to cancel Christmas.  At least my participation in it...


*That is for tomorrow.  And the next day.


*Tonight is for sitting around and reveling in the end of the first day of vacation.


*Which is even better than reveling in the end of the day where you just finished four sessions of workshops and don't have to get up the next morning until you are darned good and ready!



That's your bullet points for this evening, folks.  I must be off.  This vacation isn't going to enjoy itself, now is it?  There's a bit of winter weather going on outside which has added a very festive feel to the whole thing.

I might even have a bit of hot chocolate just to complete the picture.  It seems like the thing to do.

SA

8 comments:

sheep#100 said...

Enjoy your vacation! Mine and Number Guy's started today. Neatnik's doesn't start until tomorrow at lunchtime. Would it be mean to have a little bwah-ha-ha now?

Donna Lee said...

I took tomorrow and all of next week off so I am officially on vacation, too. Of course, the rest of the baking and stuff won't get done if I sit on my laurels so I'll be busy for the next two days but then, pure laziness.

Jeanne said...

Oooh. My serial-killer-fanatic sister loaned me "I Am Not a Serial Killer". It was fascinating. Though I didn't see an initial connection to Dexter, save for the premise about serial killers. (Adore Dexter.) Is "Mr. Monster" as good of a read?

Have a great holiday.

Kath said...

I like my fictional characters dark and twisty and I do like Dexter so I'll check out those books. Actually I've been disappointed in the past when an author took my beloved dark & twisty character and made her happy/normal way too quickly for my taste. But at least she wasn't sparkly!

Hope you enjoy your vacation!

Anonymous said...

Such an upbeat post -- yay for vacations!

Beth said...

Three feet on a scarf is phenomenal progress! And those mitts are really cute.

Happy vacation!

Cathy said...

Ohhh....vacation time! Yea! And I hear you about Christmas gifts are never done. I'm already planning for next year. I also planned for 2010 in 2009 then didn't get started til 2 weeks ago. A girl can plan, tho.

Oh, 3 ft scarf plus cute pin works out to being perfect length!!

Julia G said...

I just finished a YA book which I picked up at the middle school book fair, "Ruined" by Paula Morris. Very good writing, page turner, with a supernatural/macabre theme but with real-world value. The city of New Orleans is a major character, and the author has a blog detailing the years she lived there.

College kid just came home and made everyone hot chocolate the old-fashioned way, on the stovetop, with a dash of cinnamon -- perfect for snow flurries!

Happy holidays and enjoy your much deserved vacation!