Nutcracker (Photo credit: ginnylgorman)

• I’ve gotten kind of obsessed with The Big Bang Theory. I was led there through my already-existing Wil Wheaton love, and now I’ve got the DVR set to record them and like to mainline four or five episodes at a time, even if they are out of order. It’s so sweet and funny and quick-witted and nerdy.
• I didn’t complete the Modern Poetry online class I was taking; the reading just started to pile up around the same time I was hit with a wave of grading, and I never recovered. I really enjoyed the parts of the class I was able to keep up with, and it did convince me that it is able to teach a MOOC well and in an engaging manner, but the time commitment just wasn’t realistic for me these days.
• Here are movies I want to see over the next month or so: Argo, Lincoln, Anna Karennina, Django Unchained. Movie I am so disappointed isn’t coming out until the spring: The Great Gatsby.  Debating whether to go see a movie by myself, an experience I’ve only had once and am stupidly nervous about trying again.
• Deep into my Catcher in the Rye unit, remembering once again how much I love teaching this book, love hearing all the girls come in and say how much they like it, seeing their faces light up when we uncover a pattern or make a new inference in class. So funny that I hated this book the first two times I read it, when I was about their age, and now I can’t imagine not having it occupy a quarter of my school year.
• In the thick of holiday shopping plans for the girls, dividing up what they should ask their grandparents for, making lists of books and things I think they will enjoy and trying to figure out how to much to buy, how much to spend, and how to sneak it all into the house. How did people manage this before online shopping?!
• Still not feeling my best and feeling discouraged about it. Still using music to prop me up and propel me forward; having good luck with No Doubt, the Black Keys, Erykah Badu, and The Nutcracker.
• Sophie’s hamster died and we buried him in the front yard, complete with guests, readings, and tulip bulbs planted to mark the spot. Let’s hope they come up in the spring.
• Girls are adjusting fairly well to their new school. The quantity and quality of homework has increased, and they are navigating new social dynamics and trying to find their niches. It’s been tougher for me to watch than I expected, but we are all finding our way.
• Trying to remind myself that every year around this time, I think the house is a mess and that I don’t cook dinner enough. This year is probably not worse, but exactly the same.

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