tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-300794932012-02-02T23:06:04.116-08:00You learn something new every day...Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.comBlogger5521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-59149500724379212282011-10-01T19:05:00.000-07:002011-10-01T20:17:41.611-07:00

Anyone out there read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller? I won't go so far as to say it's a good read - don't get me started on the myriad issues that make it a terrible read - but it is definitely an interesting read, and depending on your personality, it could be a very good read for you. Still, whether you like it or not, it has some interesting points to consider. One the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-74610208326313419382011-08-29T19:20:00.000-07:002011-08-29T20:23:10.554-07:00

You all already know I enjoy fashion. I enjoy putting outfits together each day, experimenting with what I can do to look stylish without repeating what's worked in the past. A new challenge, each and every day, to put together the shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, accessories, and/or shoes in such a way that will make people go, "Wow, you look so great! How do you always look so cute?" Am I vain?

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-80981146677383372132011-08-16T19:30:00.000-07:002011-08-16T19:45:29.682-07:00

I've had a number of posts percolating in my head for the past couple of weeks; lots of things are floating around my head that might be fun to dissect in my writing. It used to be, only a couple years ago, that having these kinds of things in mind would lead almost immediately to blogging. In fact, if I wasn't blogging, it was a sure indication that I couldn't come up with anything to say. (And

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-43775279115335222412011-08-04T19:27:00.000-07:002011-08-04T20:12:53.310-07:00

The History of Me and BlogHerI first started blogging near the end of June 2006. The BlogHer conference that year was so close to me - maybe a 20-minute drive to the convention center - and I briefly considered going. But really, I hadn't been blogging that long, and I wasn't sure that it would really be all that interesting if I wouldn't know very many people. I completely regretted that

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-6082652068832494962011-07-27T00:32:00.000-07:002011-07-27T01:13:50.653-07:00

I recently checked a pretty big item off my ongoing wish list:Hi, I'm Scrappers and I'm a little nervous...Now I'm slightly less nervous, so I've come out from behind the toilet, and am now behind the futon.It got me thinking about what else is on my wish list, so I thought I would share. Because why covet alone when you can covet with friends, right? Right.Item #1: Oh, how badly I want an iPad.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-76510709959512352432011-07-11T14:49:00.000-07:002011-07-11T15:28:38.437-07:00

Do you know Karen Walrond? I can't say I know her, not really, though I have met and interacted with her a bit. From that little bit of interaction, plus what I've captured from her blog, I can say, with absolute certainty, that she is super awesome amazing. So much that I couldn't pick which one of those words to use, so I used all three.She published a super awesome amazing book called The

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-54698680437233947002011-06-26T19:54:00.000-07:002011-06-26T20:26:21.903-07:00

It's my fifth anniversary here at Life: The Ongoing Education. No joke - FIVE YEARS. I don't know about you, but to me, that feels like a really long time. And time is something I've been thinking of a lot lately, for a few different reasons:1) I turned 29 ten days ago. I was in Africa, but the birthday came anyway, and now I have less than a year before I turn 30, which terrifies me to no

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-72686068407795022372011-06-07T06:42:00.000-07:002011-06-07T06:43:09.405-07:00

I'm on my way to Africa right now. I had high hopes for updating before I left, but there was just too much to do. In a short summary, I thought grading was going to kill me, but it didn't; Dr.B. knows I like him, but he doesn't like me back; and HTG has a brother who is super hot and happened to be at the airport to see us off. Oh, and I'll be turning 29 in about 10 days. What do we think about

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-72965403656321074162011-05-18T20:33:00.000-07:002011-05-18T21:35:05.739-07:00

Answer: I have no idea.Okay, I don't have the time or the energy to give every single detail - and, in fact, many of you reading this know me in real life, and you've already heard every detail - but I did want to give an update for those of you who have been curious about Dr.B.Things are going well. What exactly does "well" look like? Let's look at positive recent signs:1) When I invited him

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-76682310144046141452011-05-08T22:03:00.000-07:002011-05-08T22:35:25.058-07:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!Do you know my mom? You should, because she is AMAZING. I wish, almost every day, that we lived closer to each other, so that I could spend more time with her than I get to right now. Seeing her only a handful of times each year? It's just not enough.When I was about seven years old, apparently, I very calmly and rationally informed my mother that I had decided she was an

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-41471913428403770342011-04-28T22:41:00.000-07:002011-04-28T23:10:00.589-07:00

How are we feeling about the vast increase in posting frequency? Let's all take a moment to thank the combination of Dr.B. (for giving me the content) and Spring Break (for giving me the time) for the more frequent updates. Unless you're sick of them and/or can't keep up, in which case, blame Dr.B. and Spring Break.So, we've looked at a couples pieces of evidence so far, and the consensus from

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-84062859636237522542011-04-25T22:47:00.000-07:002011-04-25T23:26:35.737-07:00

Okay, so hopefully by now you've had time to study Exhibit A, and you're ready for some new evidence. So, on to...Exhibit B: The Fly-Bys and Near MissLet's re-establish a timeline for a moment. I emailed Dr.B. a response to his story on Friday morning, and he and I had our failed conversation the following Wednesday morning. That Wednesday happened to fall in the middle of his week of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-74167464792073394502011-04-21T22:24:00.000-07:002011-04-25T22:54:56.532-07:00

So... there's a boy. And I kinda like him. It's all very 16-year-old-girl-ish really, what with the giggling and whispering with friends and general feelings of giddiness.Of course, there might be more giddiness if he liked me back, but that's a minor detail, don't you think?I don't explicitly know that he doesn't like me; there's currently very little evidence to examine, so it's tough to make

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-61630971991796462272011-04-12T19:46:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:41:15.345-07:00

Enjoy these brief peeks into my life...[In a discussion about creating rewards systems while working...]Me: So you set a goal for yourself, then give yourself some kind of reward for finishing.Student M: Exactly. Finish one page, watch a weird Japanese YouTube video.Student N: I let myself read a chapter of my book.Student D: I had a Cheezit.--------------------[Explaining a list of names on the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-55725250908652528282011-03-29T21:20:00.000-07:002011-03-29T21:28:07.619-07:00

I got new clothes (as mentioned previously), and I also died my hair dark brown with red highlights (you can see it in the last four photos). Enjoy:Other than that, I got nothin'. Most days I think my depression is better, but when it's late and I'm alone - which is when I have time to blog - I feel like it comes back. Such is the nature of the beast, I suppose.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-74193410563827949432011-03-07T19:37:00.000-08:002011-03-07T19:59:21.655-08:00

I believe three out of the five mornings last week I encountered the exact same unpleasant surprise. It went something like this:What should I wear today? Hmmm...I know! My navy pants with a long-sleeved white shirt and a gray sweater vest. That'll be nice.*Puts on pants and tries to zip them up*They won't zip! I couldn't have gained that much weight, could I?*Puts on another pair of pants..

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-65281133720876437572011-03-02T21:13:00.000-08:002011-03-02T22:56:16.416-08:00

So where the hell have *I* been, right? I honestly hadn't even realized it had been over a month since I posted. To which I say, MY BAD. But hey, I'm back now and you love me for it and we all know it.Moving right along.I have started attending a CBT group through my health care provider. CBT stands for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and I think it's really great, especially for people like me

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-9381885935631183182011-01-29T22:49:00.000-08:002011-01-30T00:25:06.981-08:00

(I just realized that the title makes this sound like a much more exciting post than it is going to be. Perverts, go elsewhere, because this is not what you're looking for.)I got a hand-me-down book called The Pocket Muse (by Monica Wood) when a fellow teacher was cleaning out her bookshelves. It's fun and interesting, and gives good ideas for writers who may be struggling with writer's block

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-8837925310285057812011-01-15T16:28:00.001-08:002011-01-15T16:38:29.700-08:00

My voice, I mean. Many of you may never have heard my voice, let alone seen me speaking, so enjoy this, my first video blog, or "vlog." As I say in the video, I got the prompt for this from Aly, who has a positively lovely accent. My accent, if such exists, is not nearly as lovely... Say these words:Aunt, route, wash, oil, theater, iron, salmon, caramel, fire, water, sure, data, ruin,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-60137860077130826862011-01-10T00:13:00.001-08:002011-01-10T00:25:29.815-08:00

My apartment is in a large converted Victorian house, and we park our cars back behind the house in what used to be stables. My parking space normally looks something like this:Lately, though, it's been looking like this:Let's zoom in on one of those webs, shall we?Okay, so a huge spider has started living in the web that hangs right over the side I have to walk in to get to the driver's side of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-76275811909243981072010-12-30T22:41:00.000-08:002010-12-31T00:34:11.086-08:00

Get it? Auld Lang Syne? New Year's? Yeah?Eh, I never claimed to be Shakespeare.[Be warned, this is a pretty long post, and it's not happy. Fair-weather friends should stay away.]2010 has not been the greatest of years for me. Oh, don't get me wrong, it wasn't as awful as that '06-'07 stretch, but it was no 2004 either. It pretty clearly splits into two halves (based on last school year vs. this

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-73241550772423077222010-12-19T15:33:00.000-08:002010-12-19T16:19:27.837-08:00

I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, but I've been (and continue to be) scared. Anxiety has never been my biggest issue, and when it does appear, it tends to be a depression-induced downward spiral. For the past few weeks, I kept thinking, "I should blog," and then I'd think about what I would write and some of it would be like, "Yeah, that might be okay," but other stuff I'd start just thinking,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-53382516949656989442010-11-22T20:53:00.001-08:002010-11-22T20:55:19.406-08:00

I guest-posted for the beautiful and charming Aly of Breathe Gently. Go check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-83132640627008016622010-11-14T12:09:00.000-08:002010-11-14T12:43:36.713-08:00

Scene: Lunchtime in a fellow teacher's classroom. Dr. Chemistry is working on chem equations with a student, and I'm sitting nearby eating my lunch. Another student walks past the open door of the classroom; Dr. Chemistry waves at the student, and the student hurriedly continues past without acknowledging the wave.Dr. C: He looked scared. I wonder why he looked so scared.Student: Because

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-86158793811492766702010-10-24T15:42:00.000-07:002010-10-24T17:35:15.230-07:00

The message at church today was about community. Specifically, we looked at Paul's community when he was writing to the Philippians, and his close friendships with Timothy and Epaphroditus. But if that means nothing to you - as it would have meant nothing to me before this morning - just know that we talked about community.I did a lot of thinking about the different communities of which I am a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-62702640030564659862010-10-08T21:52:00.000-07:002010-10-08T22:19:08.747-07:00

Driving home from work yesterday, I passed by a house completely decked out with Halloween decorations - gravestones in the front yard, skeletons hanging from the eaves, and bright orange lights around all the windows. My first thought when I drove past was, "Wow, jumping the gun much? They must just really love Halloween - I mean, it's only..." And then, as I tried to think of the date to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-21009768909988652352010-10-03T21:10:00.001-07:002010-10-03T21:13:01.903-07:00

1. When Lara goes a long time without blogging, I secretly suspect she is ______________.2. Sometimes I go through "Lara Withdrawal Syndrome" when I can't read her blog. The worst symptom is ____________.3. Over the last two weeks, I've been very busy doing ______________.4. Lara needs to spend less time coming up with dumb filler posts and more time _____________.Ready? Go.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-52580788348454053572010-09-21T19:53:00.000-07:002010-09-21T20:33:44.289-07:00

Things my students say has increased their respect for me:- That I wear Toms.- That I read XKCD.- That I have sat alone in my house on Saturday mornings eating cereal and watching "Blue's Clues" while shouting at the screen, "A clue! A clue!"- That I'm a Blink 182 fan.- That I even know who Blink 182 is.- That I know the Steelers defense is significantly better than either the Bengals or the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-30984728731829574442010-09-12T19:44:00.000-07:002010-09-12T19:58:29.308-07:00

I'm exhausted, having just returned from a weekend retreat with our students, so a brief story to show you why I think I have such amazing kids:Sitting at breakfast, one of the girls at my table wasn't feeling well. She was feeling very dizzy and a bit nauseated, not really sure what, specifically, was wrong. She asked to see the nurse, so I went over to the table where she was sitting, about

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-76157689562153306882010-09-05T21:18:00.000-07:002010-09-05T22:00:15.484-07:00

Anyone out there remember Highlights magazine? The awesome educational magazine for kids that they used to stock at all the dentist and doctor's offices? And they had "Goofus and Gallant," and the Timber-people whose clever last name I forget, and all the "hidden pictures" games? Yeah, I loved Highlights when I was younger.On a recent trip to a yogurt shop, my friend and I found a stack of old

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-11129365529784507532010-08-29T20:02:00.000-07:002010-08-29T21:13:06.555-07:00

I'm not gonna lie - sometimes teaching kind of sucks. Oh, sometimes it's AWESOME, don't get me wrong. But sometimes it sucks.Like when you're trying to see your way through the pile of 95 summer reading essays you have to grade, and realizing that you're already behind on your grading, even though it's only the first day of school.Or when you're fighting the daily uphill battle to get the kids

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-5058410351071812352010-08-23T20:11:00.000-07:002010-08-23T20:15:37.783-07:00

Today was the first day of school for this year. This is what I wore:Until I saw this picture, I had no idea how wrinkled the dress was at the bottom. And that is a pretty good visual example of how I felt all day today.Wrinkled.It was an incredibly long day, and I'm already dreading going back tomorrow, but I only need to survive 174 more until June. I can do that, right?Right?RIGHT?!Golly,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-12779289379046235222010-08-17T22:16:00.000-07:002010-08-17T22:34:02.978-07:00

I came to a decision recently. I've put a lot of thought into it, because it is NOT a decision to be taken lightly. But I sought the advice of people I respect, thought it through, and firmly decided:I will no longer shave my feet or toes.I used to, but I refuse to do so for even one day more. First of all, I'd like to make it clear that the hair on my feet and toes is not that noticeable -

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-47476719310149695112010-08-13T23:18:00.000-07:002010-08-13T23:48:52.105-07:00

[In no particular order...]Dear Gynecologist:I appreciate that you were able to see me for an emergency appointment at the last minute this morning, even though you are not the doctor I've seen in the past. However, I would have been much more at ease in the appointment if you hadn't seemed so damned uncomfortable the whole time. I've never had someone look so panicked at the thought of having

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-51296324026833934642010-08-03T22:12:00.000-07:002010-08-03T22:56:15.102-07:00

I'm pretty afraid that various bloggers I know and love won't remember me when I see them in a few days for BlogHer10 in New York City. This is a natural product of the fact that I'm so busy during the school year - I not only don't have time to blog, but I don't have time to read and comment on other blogs, and I definitely don't have time to hang out in the Twitterverse. I lose the sense of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-4184009424665266492010-07-26T19:37:00.000-07:002010-07-26T20:06:26.508-07:00

Picture this:I'm in the dressing rooms at Nordstrom, squeezing my ass into a too-tight dress - well, attempting to squeeze into it - realizing I gained some weight over my recent vacation with family in Vegas. And from the next room over, I hear some whiny girl going, "I don't know - I think I need this in a size zero..."To recap in pictures, here's me, in the too-tight dress:And here's an

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-8763223546705727642010-07-12T12:08:00.000-07:002010-07-19T21:11:47.477-07:00

For years when I was younger (like, the teenage years or so), I couldn't stop thinking my mom was 39. Something about that number, I'm not sure what, just stuck with me. It might be because we threw a big surprise party for her 39th birthday, and the general ado about the whole thing emblazoned the number on my brain. Whatever it was, people would ask how old she was and I'd always be like, "

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-40359107313210815382010-06-26T13:37:00.000-07:002010-06-26T16:55:27.387-07:00

Today marks four years of blogging here at Life: The Ongoing Education, and it has been quite a ride. Given that this was always a "life blog," meaning that its focus was primarily on my life (personal, professional, etc.), the four years of the blog chronicle four years of changes for me. Four years that saw me from who I was to who I am. So forgive me if I take a moment to ponder some of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-23112221461495756902010-06-15T20:23:00.000-07:002010-06-15T21:07:27.769-07:00

First, let me assure you that my student did not appear to have poked her brain in any way that caused permanent damage while she was picking her nose during my final. She still ended up with a pretty good grade overall. I know you were all very concerned.Second, I'm moving! Let's examine the changes to come:CURRENT PLACE:- I rent a room in a house.- I have 2-3 housemates at a time.- I share a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-47511793093259455302010-06-05T17:17:00.000-07:002010-06-05T17:21:33.473-07:00

Imagine you're a teacher, and you're sitting at your desk watching your kids take the final exam for your class. When you see a girl staring blankly at the test and picking her nose, does this mean your final is too hard... or too easy?

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-4629321561675625872010-05-21T21:48:00.000-07:002010-05-21T22:01:38.927-07:00

God and I are a bit on the outs these days. Last Saturday night, I went to bed without setting my alarm for church. On purpose. I was mad at God, so I decided I didn’t really feel like going to His house to sing His songs and listen to His words. “If I’m meant to go to church,” I said to myself, “then I’m sure I’ll manage to wake up at the right time without any alarm at all.” I fell asleep late

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-13342449065118522010-04-22T22:43:00.001-07:002010-04-23T08:38:38.965-07:00

Last year when I was in Africa, I got very sick. We even thought it might be malaria. We were fairly certain it wasn't, but didn't want to take any chances. I went to the hospital, and I was treated with extra-strength fever reducers and strong anti-malarial pills. Basically, I was treated for malaria. Because we couldn't know for sure if I had malaria, we treated for the worst-case

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-79257600892507142872010-04-10T15:10:00.000-07:002010-04-10T15:23:53.624-07:00

I am home, though in many ways wishing I weren't. I already miss Malawi, not least of all because when I was there work really didn't exist, and now that I'm home, it's stressing me out again. But mostly I miss the kids - this one in particular:Stories to come, but for now, tell me something wonderful that happened to you in the last two weeks. It could be a big wonderful or a little wonderful

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-43821926041075027282010-03-24T19:40:00.000-07:002010-03-24T19:50:09.583-07:00

Tomorrow I return to Africa for two weeks, and if it were raining, instead of wickedly hot and sticky, I would definitely bless the rains down in Africa.Come on, you can't tell me you don't rock out when that Toto song comes on the radio.I am currently not all that excited about the trip. But I know exactly why that is. I'm not excited because I've had no time to get excited. Instead, I've

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-36812605661255792242010-03-19T22:29:00.000-07:002010-03-20T17:32:16.417-07:00

I hate brushing my teeth. I do it because it's necessary, both for dental health and for being accepted in civilized society, because no one likes to chat with the girl who sends forth the breath of a thousand corpses every time she speaks. But I'm not like most people, where I get all excited to feel that "squeaky clean" feeling across my teeth every morning and every night. It's a chore, and

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-16496230478787244292010-02-24T21:06:00.000-08:002010-02-24T22:14:09.883-08:00

So the thing about personal blogging - and I think that this applies to many other genres of blogging as well, but I'm primarily a personal blogger, so I'll speak to that - is that it can become repetitive. It seems, at first thought, that it should be inherently new and fresh every time, right? I mean, I'm blogging about my life, and generally, life brings with it new challenges, new people,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-65113070853012277612010-02-14T20:00:00.000-08:002010-02-14T23:17:51.274-08:00

I have way too many posts that I want to write, and way too little mental energy to do any of them real justice. And that lack of mental energy comes at the end of the third day in a row I've taken off of work. (By that I mean that we had Friday off, then Saturday and Sunday, and I didn't do any work on any of those three days. Tomorrow will be... tough.) So if I have this little intellectual

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-15680863010913700362010-02-03T20:59:00.001-08:002010-02-03T21:16:32.187-08:00

Okay, the whole "blogstipation" thing? (Fine, it's a mildly gross term, but it clearly gets the point across, right? Blogger's block?) It sucks. Many a blogger has written about it before, the frustration of wanting to blog, but having nothing to blog about. "Um... I went to the store today... and I bought some cheese..."It sucks.But I have decided there is something worse, and that is

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-60244456048865040302010-01-21T22:07:00.000-08:002010-01-21T22:14:26.771-08:00

I wish I had a bathroomin my classroom,which seems a bit ridiculous,because all it means is thatI'm lazy.I wish I hadn't admitted that,because now I seem shallow,ridiculous,and lazy.I wish reading the Modernists -Ezra,Eliot,William Carlos Williams -didn't leave me feelinglike a failure as a writerjust because I use punctuation,capital letters,complete sentences,conjunctions;or because I don't(

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-1247491809177791182010-01-19T07:02:00.000-08:002010-01-19T07:07:12.303-08:00

It is raining sheets and sheets here. It rained all through the night and I got very little sleep. There are many puddles - DEEP puddles - all around my town and all through our school campus. I think I just saw a Snork float past my classroom window.(Holla if you got that old school reference...)I suspect this is the end. If I die, soggy and pruney, with stringy drowned-rat hair, here in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-87967690892146853342010-01-14T20:29:00.000-08:002010-01-14T22:14:03.909-08:00

We've been experiencing the joy that is known as FINALS WEEK at Christian School this week. I call it a "joy" only semi-ironically - while it is far from joyful for the students, I and many other teachers really do adore it. See, while the kids take their 90-minute finals, what do we do? We catch up on grading, of course! Silent rooms for an hour and a half at a time, no performing required,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-81016338760127811982010-01-10T19:49:00.000-08:002010-01-10T20:07:22.843-08:00

I met with a psychiatrist on Wednesday morning, and about an hour later I had a bottle of anti-depressants in my hand. I've been taking them daily since Wednesday, and I feel so much better already.Don't worry, I don't think they're miracle pills. I sincerely doubt that the pills themselves have had much effect over just four days. What's making me feel better is the knowledge that I've done

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-85760232989055915492010-01-04T07:03:00.000-08:002010-01-04T07:05:19.521-08:00

(Thanks to Garfield Minus Garfield for, yet again, putting my exact emotions into a sad, depressing cartoon.)

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-56516349044123719842009-12-31T15:02:00.000-08:002009-12-31T15:51:17.386-08:00

It's the dawning of a new year, and possibly a new decade, depending on whether you prefer to count your decades as 0-9 or 1-10. This kind of change calls us all, in our own ways, to reflect on what has passed and what is to come.Some bloggers do it through memes, and I've done that myself, in fact. I considered doing it again this year, and even found some questions and started answering them.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-40438795497911614322009-12-24T12:20:00.000-08:002009-12-24T12:23:29.716-08:00

Happy Christmas, everyone. I know things around here haven't been very happy lately, but I have hope and faith that this blog will see happier days again soon. Or, if not soon, at least eventually. And I'll be here with open arms to welcome those happier days.In the meantime, I wish you all a very blessed Christmas - and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you a very joyful December 25th,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-15869918237076183942009-12-20T22:10:00.000-08:002009-12-20T22:25:58.615-08:00

The year after my father died, I went to visit him a lot. Well, I guess that's not exactly true: I visited his grave a lot, but he really wasn't there. He - the real him, the him I actually loved and missed and wanted to visit - he was long gone already. At times - the more honest moments - I knew the grave was a poor substitute; it was (and is) just dirt, and grass, and a cold slab of stone

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-83532896537126878692009-12-12T19:36:00.000-08:002009-12-12T22:27:45.674-08:00

I think it's hard for most people to understand what it's like to really, genuinely hate life. It's not the same as just being negative, so "Think positive!" won't fix it. And it's not the same as just being sad, so "Cheer up!" won't fix it. And it's not the same as thinking life is something other than what it is, so "Count your blessings!" won't fix it either. I am well aware of my

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-24809009410745250992009-12-05T23:31:00.000-08:002009-12-06T00:04:18.368-08:00

The evening after my aunt's funeral a group of us are sitting around the dining room table at my uncle's house. Mostly we refer to this group as "the cousins, with me, my sister, my aunt's three kids, and a couple significant others as well. The conversation is exactly what it should be at a time like this - a mix of laughter and sadness, memories of younger days and happier occasions,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-53103930700997960582009-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:002009-11-24T18:19:52.519-08:00

Hi all,Lots of busy stuff at work was already keeping me from blogging, and then my aunt - my mom's big sister, her "beautiful warrior sister":- lost her battle with breast cancer. I went to Texas Sunday for the funeral services and to be with all my family, missing school Monday and Tuesday. It's been hard, in many ways, and I'll blog it out of my system soon. For now, I'm in a motel in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-65877593114881339682009-11-09T18:41:00.000-08:002009-11-09T19:58:02.163-08:00

*I hope God doesn't mind my borrowing His phrasing for a blog post about my car.Ginger - my car - and I have been together for a lot of years now. We first became a couple in June of 2001, which seems much longer ago than a mere eight years. She was a cute young thing, a silver Plymouth Neon, brand new, less than 10 miles on her when the keys were in my hand. A frisky go-getter, we had a good

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-81788501467468336492009-10-31T14:20:00.000-07:002009-10-31T15:24:10.292-07:00

Yesterday was a teacher in-service day at school, which is when the students have the day off and the teachers get to come to school in casual clothes and learn... something. We were supposed to have a sexual harassment prevention seminar in the morning (and we were reminded frequently that it was NOT a "sexual harassment training," as we all kept calling it at first, but rather a "sexual

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-48775317661818548402009-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:002009-10-25T14:24:31.863-07:00

Last night I went dancing. I don't go dancing much anymore, but it used to be a huge part of my life. My close friends were all dancers, and I used to have rehearsals, performances, or social dance events to attend 6-7 times a week. Now, though, my life is pretty much work and... work. There is little to no time for dancing.But I went dancing last night. I was afraid it wouldn't be fun - or,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-58713205677278003982009-10-15T19:20:00.001-07:002009-10-15T19:46:38.711-07:00

"I look pregnant. If I post this on the blog they're going to ask if I'm pregnant."(Note: I swear I'm not pregnant. Just fat.)"I'm sure this picture will turn out great - not blurry at all - and wonderfully show off how well my green shoes match the green in my necklace. Yep, not blurry AT ALL.""I'll point at my mom, sitting behind me, so the blog world can see her visiting me! Because, you

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-3303226168707751992009-10-07T21:03:00.000-07:002009-10-07T21:20:16.003-07:00

I'm sure you've all had this happen:You start to notice that a blogger has recently stopped updating - or at least started updating significantly less frequently - and you wonder why. And often, when he/she does finally update, it's to say, "Hi, I've been out enjoying life instead of blogging about it. Because, you know, that's kind of how it's supposed to be." And you agree, of course,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-83173751781143119362009-10-03T13:13:00.000-07:002009-10-03T13:51:34.742-07:00

Hang on, before we do anything else, I need to admit something shameful. Just now, as I was going through the photos of my work clothes from this week, I realized that on Tuesday and Friday - of the SAME WEEK - I wore uncomfortably similar outfits:Tuesday:Friday:What the heck was I thinking? What is wrong with me? I can feel my reputation as School Fashionista slipping through my fingers.Of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-90372968024007322852009-09-26T19:40:00.000-07:002009-09-26T21:08:33.357-07:00

So... I bet you're all wondering about that whole "scalpel to my lady bits" thing, huh? Well, I'm going to tell you all about this horrible terrifying experience I recently went through, even though it seems kind of embarrassing and involves repeated use of the word "vagina." But here's the thing - most of the reason I was so terrified by the experience is because I'd never heard of anything

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-37496683510534693182009-09-22T20:47:00.000-07:002009-09-22T20:54:50.665-07:00

Okay, so I had a very big health scare recently, and it turned out to be okay, but it did require a procedure that prompted me to send this text to my sister:They're about to take a scalpel to my lady bits - please pray!Yes, you read that right. SCALPEL. LADY BITS. Yep. More details on that will be coming soon, I swear. And by "soon," I mean as soon as I'm not drowning in work, and we all

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-1919012878827474002009-09-15T20:57:00.001-07:002009-09-15T20:59:51.677-07:00

Here's something I recently discovered that I found very amusing:And now that I've shared that with you all, I'm asking you to amuse me in return. I'm feeling worn down this week (though the weekend was amazing, I promise), and I could use some smiles from you all, my lovely bloggy friends. Please?

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-10417501792728833422009-09-10T23:31:00.000-07:002009-09-10T23:46:49.111-07:00

This was a very short week at school, so only three outfits to show you:And tomorrow morning I am onto a school bus with a bunch of high schoolers to a mountain retreat where I will get pretty much no sleep but probably have an awesome time. (And the first one to point out the run-on nature of that last sentence gets a boot in the face.)The last time I went on this retreat, this is what happened

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-46317079694835559422009-09-05T13:10:00.000-07:002009-09-05T14:36:55.471-07:00

I have two choices before me right now.Choice the First: I could write about all the things that are SERIOUSLY frustrating me at work, including the fact that I'm so ridiculously busy just trying to keep my head above water with my three different curricula that I can't find any time to blog, which would lead into horrible complaints and whining about how I never have time to blog anymore and I'm

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-35410071182962147872009-08-29T17:35:00.000-07:002009-08-30T14:06:45.045-07:00

Okay, before you all start chewing your own arms off in anticipation, here is what I wore the first day of school:Cute, right? By which I mean an appropriate amount of cute, just enough cute to take the edge of the SERIOUS PROFESSIONALISM. Keeping it simple with black and white, just adding that pop of color with my shoes. (And don't be the one asshole who has to point out that there's a big

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-91320748844618392572009-08-26T06:54:00.000-07:002009-08-26T07:03:11.342-07:00

I asked some of my 10th graders what their expectations were of the class. The few who were willing to share said things like, "I expect to improve a lot in my writing," and, "I expect to learn to understand books better." Clearly one of my jobs this year will be to teach them to be more creative in how they choose to blow smoke up their teacher's ass.So then I said, "Raise your hand if you

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-87443677063059881812009-08-23T19:59:00.000-07:002009-08-23T20:38:37.422-07:00

Exactly 12 hours from now, the first day of the 2009-2010 school year will be officially starting. I have no idea what I am going to wear. I don't even know what SHOES I'm going to wear. Do you know me at all? If so, you will see how big a deal this truly is.Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, since I will have a mix of Students Who Have No Idea Who I Am and Students Who Know Me So

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-57543209380872464122009-08-17T20:47:00.000-07:002009-08-17T21:59:21.424-07:00

Christian School's annual staff retreat was this weekend, and we had a number of great seminar offerings to attend. (Not as many as BlogHer did, by any means, which is good, because I might have gone into brain overload and just curled up in a ball and sucked my thumb.) One of them talked about how to take care of ourselves emotionally through the year, including how to avoid negative emotions

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-55770622347044932272009-08-13T20:44:00.001-07:002009-08-13T21:37:54.463-07:00

I think we can all agree that it's pretty rare to have the kind of shitty day I had on Tuesday followed IMMEDIATELY by the kind of great news I got on Wednesday. Normally, when you - and by "you" I mean most people in a general sense - have a bad day, it's followed by more bad days, or, at best, a mediocre day that has you constantly proclaiming, "Well, at least it's better than yesterday." But

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-41499413763436949252009-08-11T21:04:00.000-07:002009-08-11T21:51:41.393-07:00

If you're like me, reading that title has you singing that song. You know the one - it's from... like... the 80's? Or the 70's? And it's all, "Tell me something good..." Google informs me that it's by Rufus and Chaka Khan. No? Nothing? Okay, then you are nothing like me.My mom is a very positive sort of person (no, I have no idea how she produced me, the stormiest personality EVER), so

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-77750881892146354872009-08-09T13:52:00.000-07:002009-08-09T13:55:16.836-07:00

So I'm sitting in the kitchen, eating my generic Grape Nuts (called "Nutty Nuggets," which, in my opinion, sounds a little dirty), when my housemate goes, "Lara, I'm moving to New York."Now, let me explain something here. I currently live with three other women. One of those women is only with us for another week before moving back to Michigan. One is moving to San Francisco in October. And

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-70263482928031351622009-08-05T23:23:00.000-07:002009-08-06T00:25:40.201-07:00

It's happening already. I can feel it bubbling just under the surface, waiting to strike, like the kind of gas you have after bad chorizo from a questionable taqueria. This is that time of year when my job completely goes apeshit on my life and I have no energy left for anything else - things like a social life, for example. And blogging.Even though school hasn't officially started yet,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-74325495329606172712009-08-03T11:47:00.000-07:002009-08-03T12:18:33.633-07:00

I know you as homely - plain, even ugly, overweight.No matter what I say or do... And then I see you one night, and I think, "Is that... ? It can't be, but..." Because you're beautiful - you're lovely.I never wanted anything so muchAs to drown in your love and not feel your rain.Your large eyes shining bright with tears, dark lashes sweeping sad across your cheeks. Pretty nose, pretty mouth,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-31762563688402955022009-08-01T15:17:00.000-07:002009-08-01T16:10:31.383-07:00

Here's a conversation I had with myself today:I: Self, I think we should get a new post up soon, yeah?Myself: You're probably right.I: So what should we write about?Myself: Dood, I'm watching Batman. Can we talk later?I: No, we really need to get a post up. Like, this afternoon.Myself: Ugh, the screen just said, "Kapow!" and I missed what happened because I was listening to you whine about blog

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-11883238581219346282009-07-28T13:12:00.000-07:002009-07-28T22:27:11.614-07:00

There are many things I want to say about BlogHer. There is, of course, the traditional recap, where I talk about what I did and who I met. There are the sessions I attended and what I took away from them. And there are all the "meta" thoughts - how people interacted and what my place was among them. But it kind of feels like - let's be honest here - all of that would be so boring that you

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-60424444126541170902009-07-26T14:11:00.000-07:002009-07-26T14:16:40.003-07:00

I seriously need to get these things off my chest, because they are burning like the scarlet letter:I lost my tweezers at some point – maybe I left them in Africa – and then I forgot to buy some new ones before I came to Chicago, and then I didn’t think to go out and buy one once I got to Chicago, so I spent the entire weekend with random black hairs trying to create a unibrow across my normally

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-61933886471137104042009-07-22T20:19:00.000-07:002009-07-22T22:02:34.716-07:00

I decided that I really ought to put up the obligatory introduction post before I leave for BlogHer. You know, just in case I meet someone who - by some magical stroke of luck - finds me interesting enough to visit my blog. Upon that first visit, wouldn't it be nice to see something other than weep-inducing photos of African children? Something that says, "Hi, I'm Lara and this is what I'm

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-62385395221646974182009-07-17T14:00:00.000-07:002009-07-17T14:49:58.926-07:00

Africa is still on my heart, as I'm sure surprises no one.I see these kids' faces every day.And I wonder if I'll ever see them again.In part, because I don't know if I'll be able to go back - who really knows what the future holds?And in part because so many of the kids are sick - if I come back, will they still be here?I'll remember them, most likely forever.Will they remember me? Any of us?I

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-37945122337317161932009-07-14T11:17:00.000-07:002009-07-23T06:14:15.561-07:00

I swear, one of these days I will run out of things to say about Africa. Not that I expect that day to be soon, necessarily, just that it will come eventually. Oh, and I'm sorry that MALARIA post was so long, but let's just keep in mind that that is the kind of thing that probably (hopefully... dear God PLEASE) only happens once in a lifetime, so I should be allowed to take as long as I damn

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-15597363481275605012009-07-09T10:08:00.000-07:002009-07-09T16:16:50.822-07:00

I think you've all been very patient with me, so I think it is finally time in this post to reward you by telling the story of my trip to the hospital for what some folks feared might be MALARIA. (It needs to be in all caps because of how afraid everyone was of it. I mean, let's keep in mind that this is a disease that kills people in that area every single day, so I guess we had reason to be a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-10651055442081672852009-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:002009-07-14T08:53:45.071-07:00

Your impatience warms my heart, and I actually mean that in complete sincerity. See, the fact that you all commented about your impatience (or just excitement, for the more patient among you) to hear more about my trip means that you care about me and my life at least enough to click "comment" and deal with that annoying word verification. Which may not be a ton, or it may be a ton, but in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-61601871650397156362009-07-02T08:52:00.001-07:002009-07-09T12:34:22.102-07:00

No, that's not true. I mean, it is true that I caught what may or may not have been (but almost certainly wasn't) malaria while in Africa, but it's not true that that is all I got. In fact, I got much more.... What's that? You want to hear about it? Really? Even after I've so brutally neglected you and left you wondering what you could possibly have done to upset me and make me leave you

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-79079099900061923872009-06-02T20:30:00.000-07:002009-06-02T20:46:00.643-07:00

No, I don't like what I've let happen to this blog. I don't know what I want. Well, what I want is to want to blog. The fact is that the desire just hasn't been there. Often my brain is just so fried by the time I get home that I don't want to try to put any more sentences together. I also think very carefully about what I should or shouldn't post regarding school and various school-related

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-90158773337645719472009-04-26T19:32:00.000-07:002009-04-27T19:16:25.923-07:00

So, I feel like I really ought to put something up here because I've been so sadly neglecting this blog but I just do not even want to get into how unhappy I've been with the way things have been going down lately and I don't really want to pretend that I have been happy with the way things have been going and I can't think of anything else to write and I don't really want to try very hard to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-35403826727151454382009-04-13T13:37:00.000-07:002009-04-13T13:42:30.042-07:00

So first, a long time ago now (something on the order of FOUR WEEKS!) I was in our school's musical, Good News! I was a professor:And I was also a police officer: (And yes, that's a Civil War costume. Don't ask me...)The weekend after the musical closed, I found myself at the wedding of two dear friends: Tali and K. (Tali is a frequent reader/commenter hereabouts.)They were a lovely couple:And

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-1953823350273240422009-03-15T19:18:00.000-07:002009-03-15T20:27:21.276-07:00

After the depressing post I wrote right before, I'm sure the "I want to kill students" post was slightly worrisome, but have no fear, my students are all alive and well. Their grades are not so lively right now, but I'm hoping the projects they recently turned in, along with their most recent vocabulary test, will help them out. I'm REALLY hoping that, because frankly, I'm getting extremely

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-53409572168177810372009-02-25T18:57:00.000-08:002009-02-25T19:55:55.909-08:00

... I have really been struggling lately. Spirit Week was great, and I went from there straight into a fun weekend at Disneyland to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday. I came back Monday exhausted and looking forward to a week off school. But by Wednesday I was already wishing the break just didn't exist. It's not that I didn't enjoy being able to sleep in everyday and catch up on the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-21740810237781963872009-02-23T15:32:00.001-08:002009-02-23T15:35:03.351-08:00

How are you feeling today?A)B)C)D)

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-91139021659141270252009-02-18T22:49:00.000-08:002009-02-18T23:13:24.071-08:00

Day 1: Absolutely NothingYeah, Spirit Week started with a normal Monday. What an anti-climactic way to start this post, huh? Still, cute argyle sweater vest, right? Yeah.Day 2: Celebrity DayThat would be me as Hannah Montana. My kids thought it was awesome and hilarious and just generally great. In fact, a number of them said they liked me with blond hair and/or bangs. As for me, I mostly

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-84574437030322517162009-02-07T18:27:00.000-08:002009-02-07T19:14:02.109-08:00

Long ago distracted spunk did the interview meme on her blog and I asked to be interviewed. To her, I now apologize, because I should've responded much sooner. In fact, on PAPER I did respond sooner, it's just that then I kept leaving the paper at school when I was going to blog from home, and then I actually lost the paper for a bit, but now I've found it again and I'm finally getting around

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-48066781354620120952009-01-30T22:41:00.000-08:002009-01-31T00:01:22.802-08:00

Pssst... Lara here. I'm in Study Hall right now, and I ought to be grading essays, but I just can't seem to focus. So I thought instead I'd write you all a little note to say hi.HI!Oh, oops, really shouldn't be shouting in Study Hall, eh? Ah well, on to quieter topics. Quieter, however, does not have to mean less exciting. Just less... loud.I've had a lot of things floating around my life

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-26524019145819416082009-01-25T20:42:00.000-08:002009-01-25T21:47:08.614-08:00

Some stories (and pics) from the recent Disney trip:There's a ride at California Adventure called "Soarin' Over California" that emulates gliding over various landmark places in the state. You sit in a long row of seats that then rises into the air, and your feet dangle as you watch the large screen, so you can almost feel like you really are soaring. Just so you all know, if you ever go on

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-55041225400465237342009-01-15T23:20:00.000-08:002009-01-15T23:50:59.496-08:00

As part of my new, "I'm just gonna be me and try to stress less about what that looks like on a blog" plan, I wanted to pop on to let you know that I'm off to Disneyland for the weekend. Our school's Visual and Performing Arts department takes some kids on a trip there every year after finals. They get to participate in acting and music workshops, and our marching band gets to march in one of

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30079493.post-65103496065920492492009-01-14T19:24:00.000-08:002009-07-28T17:52:54.502-07:00

I'm going through a bloggy identity crisis right now. I don't know what this space is supposed to be anymore. I never wanted a blog to be a place where I came and said, "Today I woke up late. Then I went to work. Then..." Etc. and so on and yadda yadda and oh my God can you just imagine how incredibly boring this place would be if all I did was transcribe my schedule every day? That's not

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04389047861929002263noreply@blogger.com8