What I’ve Done on my Summer Vacation (so far)

* Convinced the AVID lady at the district that I really did want to take the train to Chicago, and yes, I am aware that it is a 30-hour journey that starts at 4:45 am (she apparently has no faith in my knowledge of geography or traveling velocities).
* Started cooking dinner again instead of take-out every day!
* Read three novels
* Spent three days at school to make my classroom look like this:

(which included organizing and filing papers from the past two years of teaching – glorious!)
* Spent one day in my classroom to make my desk look like this:

* Watched “The Valet” (recommended!) with Teresa (who’s back – yay!)
* Watched “Waitress”
* Watched “A Midwinter’s Tale”
* Watched “Sing Faster!”
* Went to IKEA again to get shelves
* Installed said shelves, after moving my desk near my kitchen:

* Discovered that getting shelves level is tricky when you’re working alone, but by golly I did it!
* Saw “Thoroughly Modern Millie” with Heidi (also back – yay!) and Virginia, Spanish teacher at my school
* Saw “Saturday’s Voyeur” with Heidi and her new husband
* Watched the Tony’s with Janelle and Donavon (“Spring Awakening” and “Coast of Utopia” – no surprises there!)
* Went to the doctor for my first checkup since, well, ever
* Was told “your cervix is stellar!”
* Got four shots and two blood samples taken
* Found out I am TB, HIV, and syphilis- free (no surprises there, either)
* Began reorganizing my library (including the closets!)
* Met with Heidi and Katharine daily this week to begin some serious writing work in anticipation of creating our play about teaching.
* Enjoyed said writing meetings in this glorious place:

* Wrote three pieces I rather like so far, and revisited others from before.
* Am gaining confidence in my abilities as a creative writer.
* Discovered the Community Writing Center
* 30 minutes on my elliptical every day since school got out!
* Am finally starting to feel rested, capable, and organized again.
Hurrah for summer!