2.5.2009: Birthday Bash

Whoa... I need to catch up! Obviously, it has been a whirlwind of a week if I haven't posted since Feb.4. My birthday was wonderful and my gratitude that day was for the tremendous well wishes from far-flung family and friends. I loved hearing from former students on Facebook, getting calls from family, and celebrating with friends new and old downtown. I felt so loved and so lucky. Who could ask for more?

This was my "VIP Bottle Service" champagne chiller - classy, eh? That's what you get when you come to the restaurant where you work for your birthday and are buddies with a wise-cracking bartender.

2.4.2009: Mentors

I could write about being grateful for a new episode of Lost every Wednesday, so I'll try to keep my fandom in check (but, seriously, what an amazing episode... Jin is alive?!! He knows Rousseau?!! Ben was pulling the strings?!! When will I learn!). I am very grateful for lunch today with one of my mentors - a super-smart, down-to-earth, funny, kind, generous woman who is a faculty member with an office across from mine. It's so refreshing to have someone who is several steps ahead of you look back and give you honest, forthright, direct advice about things that make me totally panicky and anxious. We had a lovely lunch in the sun and caught up on professional stuff and life (which is always more interesting). I'm very grateful to have someone like that to spend time with and bounce ideas off of and vent to when I'm feeling at my wit's end. I don't think I'd make it through grad school without that. In fact, when I think back through the different stages of my life thus far, I have been incredibly lucky to always have had amazing mentors who were patient and supportive with just enough dash of whoop ass when I needed it.

2.3.2009: Underdog Lasagna

I'm sitting in a coffee shop and looking forward to going home where I can indulge in the pan of lasagna I made last night. I was skeptical it would be any good... I had forgotten to buy ricotta cheese and had only one egg, so I scraped together some parmesan and mozarella, mixed it up with plain yogurt and dumped it on the rice noodles I found at the co-op in Milwaukee. Yogurt. In lasagna. What? I also used too much sauce at first so ran out of layers for the last round of noodles and tried to beef it up with as much spinach as I could cram in the middle. It shockingly ended up quite tasty and I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it.

2.2.2009: Metro Maiden

I love the bus. I'm so grateful that, as a university student, I get a pass that lets me ride for free... it may not always start and stop at the most convenient times, but it sure beats driving downtown looking (and paying) for parking. I stayed on campus much longer than expected today knowing I could grab the bus home and actually got quite a bit done for my class. Thanks, Metro!

2.1.2009: Support Group

Once again, time with my learning community was totally nourishing and inspiring. We had great speakers that challenged me to be a better teacher and lots of great moments where I laughed so hard my sides hurt. On my way home, I was talking with a friend who remarked on how refreshing it was to hear someone talk about their job in such a positive light. I agree. It is.

1.31.2009: Rise and Shine

I was so happy this morning when I woke up at 6am, showered, dressed for work, and came down from the hotel to find the sunrise already fading. Yes! Spring is on its way...

1.30.2009: Perkins Platter

So... I work in Janesville once a month and, nothing against Janesville, it is pretty boring after-hours. It's also painfully lacking in the gluten-free options. I've now eaten at Noodles so often that I get recognized by the same teenage boy who takes my order and the kid who hosts at the Mexican place knows my favorite table. That's it. I was delighted, then, to discover a Perkins near the mall where I could mix up the pad thai and tacos con carne asada with an egg and hashbrowns platter. I never thought I'd be so happy to see a Perkins.