Little Sister Inferiority Complex.

Last night I had a dream that I couldn’t make it to my first day of student teaching so I sent my big sister Nicole in my place.

The students loved her, their parents loved her, other teachers loved her, and she completely rocked as a teacher! Then I came back, and everyone hated me and I sucked terribly.

Yes, I suffer from LSIC (see title.)

Luckily it was just a dream, and student teaching was fine today. No, the students may not love me, but hey… it is grade five. I really don’t believe students in grade five like anybody.

Zero. Zip. Nada.

I have nothing more to say on this subject because it is way too soon to say anything except wow, do I like kissing! So, sorry folks! Maybe more later.

So here’s some basic, less scandalous, news from my life…

I dug out a bunch of my old junior novels Friday night. Kass has an awesome suggestion of rereading Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn. I loved that book! I re-read it as well as Wait Till Helen Comes, also by Mary Downing Hahn. Maybe it is time for some Big Kid books that take longer than a couple of hours to devour!

I went wedding dress shopping with Meg today. Let me tell you, Sean, your jaw is going to drop and stay there when you see her! Five more months!

Student teaching starts tomorrow for two solid weeks. I am in a grade five classroom with my friend Abby. We teach three lessons on our own and team teach three lessons, amongst about a gazillion other things we’re expected to do (observations, reflections, interviews, assignments from school, and so on and so forth.) It should be fun, fingers crossed that I don’t discover that teaching? Why would I want to do that? Because it would be lame to discover that the career path I’ve chosen is the wrong one. (That’s just paranoid Brea talking, stupid neuroses.)

All in all, I’m enjoying life lately. Not that I wasn’t before, but just more so now. Let’s hope my lucky streak lasts.

Snowflakes and laughter.

Recently I realized it had been ages since I kissed someone I actually liked. You know, had a crush on.

That changed yesterday.

Life? Is good.

The wonderful world of books.

“I’ve travelled the world twice over,
Met the famous: saints and sinners,
Poets and artists, kings and queens,
Old stars and hopeful beginners.
I’ve been where no-one’s been before,
Learned secrets from writers and cooks,
All with one library ticket
To the wonderful world of books.”
-Janice James.

As far back as I can remember, I have loved to read. Unfortunately, for the past few years I have been too busy with a little thing called Life to read as much as I would like to. I decided I had to do something about that.

My original plan for 2007 was to read five books a month. However, with the usual school, volunteer, and social demands that my life is full of I have realized that this is just not feasible. At least, not if I actually want to remember what I’ve read or absorb anything from the books! Naturally, my plan had to change a bit, so I changed it to merely increasingly how much I read. Of course, I read a lot for school (textbooks, required readings, etc.) but let’s face it… that just isn’t as much fun!

So far this year I have read (in order from most recent):

1. 1. One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez
2. 2. A Friend of the Family: The True Story of David Snow Alison Shaw
3. 3. The Mermaid Chair Sue Monk Kidd
4. 4. The Time Traveler’s Wife Audrey Niffeneger
5. 5. Veronika Decides to Die Paulo Coelho
6. 6. The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold

Also, because I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher, it is important that I am familiar with children’s literature. To begin with, I’ve re-read a couple of junior novels I remember from my childhood.

1. 1. James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl
2. 2. The Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster

I really enjoy junior novels because not only are they easy reads, but they actually can be quite thought provoking. My classes at university have taught me how easy and effective it is to use books to teach everything from mathematics to social studies, so I can’t wait until I am a teacher and can try it out!

I’m asking you, dear readers, to send my way any suggestions as to good books (adult or junior, I’m not picky!) for me to read!

I’m a lucky girl…

Never let me say an ill word against my big sister again.

Sure, we get on eachother’s nerves (like all sisters do), but I realized today she is the very first person I turn to in any sort of emotional crisis. Sometimes, the little sister in me can only be soothed by my big sister, and she does a damn good job of it.

Have I mentioned I have the most amazing family ever?

It’s a small world after all…

Sorry for the cheesy, cheesy title but I really can’t think of anything more fitting.

You see, I just spent the better part of an hour on hi5, otherwise known as CreepBreaOutRightQuick.

Seriously, folks. I know Saskatchewan is small, but that doesn’t stop me from being sufficiently weirded out when I see all the different connections of people I know knowing other people I know who also happen to know this person I know, and so on and so forth.

Strange. Anyway, this is me on hi5. If you are on there (all the cool kids are!) you should add me. My network is pretty tiny, mainly because there are a lot of people I am reluctant to add for fear they’ll make the connection between me and someone else, and there are a few connections I’d really rather not be made. Understandable, no?

Apparently I attract younger men.

I was at this wedding Friday night, and no, I wasn’t dateless! I went with a very nice older man who also happens to be my father.

Anyway, my dad is a huge goof (hmm that explains a lot, no?) He is a retired school bus driver, and so knew a lot of the younger people at the wedding. And kept trying to pawn me off. Seriously. To these young boys he used to drive to school. I mean it was funny, haha, whatever. Nothing like your father announcing to everyone that yes, you are dateless.

(I’m not bitter.)

Moving on. The dance begins. Roseanne and I tore up the dance floor, dancing to all the old time dances and whatnot. Then one of the young ones Dad tried to pawn me off onto asked me to dance. A few times, actually. Trying to get real close, too. Finally, curiosity got the best of me.

Me: How old are you?
Young Grasshopper: Old enough.

Tell me that isn’t the funniest thing you have ever heard. Young Grasshopper is suave. I laughed, and said “No. Really.” He then proceeded to tell me he was drinking age, and was “almost twenty”. Not nineteen, nope. Almost twenty.

Scary thing is? I guess he is old enough!

What could that possibly mean?

I had a nightmare last night that I showed up to my date wearing my purple fleece pajamas with penguins on them, and there was absolutely nothing I could do but sit down and act like it was totally normal, everyone wears pajamas with penguins on them, in fact, why wasn’t he?

This morning my dream made me giggle. But let me tell you, in the middle of the night I was mortified.

Redhead.

Well, I have red hair and bangs now. As this photo suggests, I’m still debating whether or not I love it. It does make my eyes look even bluer, I’m down with that.

The blatant truth.

I have a post written up on the trivial aspects of my life, cooking supper for my mom’s birthday yesterday, getting my hair done, going shopping. It is much to boring to publish, however, and so I decided I’m just going to be truthful:

I have absolutely nothing to write about, at least until tomorrow.

See you then!

First date this year.

My first date for 2007 is officially scheduled, on Valentine’s Day no less. This wasn’t planned, it just so happened he’s busy Saturday, I’m busy Sunday, Mom’s birthday is Monday, we’re both busy Tuesday.

Before everyone wonders where we met, and before I lie and say mutual acquaintances, I’ll admit it: I’ve returned to the online dating world.

I don’t know why I am so reluctant to admit to online dating. Wait, I do know why. It is that whole stigma that still exists. You online date? You are desperate, and probably socially inept to boot. Or is this just a stigma that I think exists?

Blogs are funny. Here I am announcing “I date online!” to a world filled with people I don’t know, who may know me, but who aren’t necessarily good friends of mine. Yet I tell people in my day-to-day life, people I consider to be good friends, “Oh, it is a blind date, set up by mutual friends.” The lie rolls easily off my tongue, and I don’t even feel guilty about it. I mean, it really is a blind date, it just so happens the good ole Internet set us up! (Moral of the story: Somehow it is easier to be open to an invisible audience.)

Anyway, whether or not I online date is not the point here. The point is: I have a date! I haven’t been on a date in ages. Try last July. I had a very busy dating life from December 2005 until July 2006, but then school intervened and we all know I gave up even a semblance of a social life outside of school because I was just so thrilled to be in Education. A small sacrifice that has been totally worth it, I’d say.

Now, because I am just so adorable and sweet, I am giving him a Valentine’s Day card. It is the only appropriate thing to do after all!

See? Cute. I mean, it isn’t cheesy, exclaiming in big bold letters “BE MINE!” or “I LOVE YOU VALENTINE!” (Which isn’t just cheesy, but also a bit creepy for a first date.) It is simple, and more than a little silly, saying nothing but “You’re turtley terrific, Valentine.” Fabulous idea, no?

I’ll keep y’all updated.

Winston with snow on his nose.

As if I don’t have the cutest dog in the world.

That’s it, that’s all I wanted to say.