Blast from the Past...

While looking back through my blog I came across the following post:
"I am almost 30 years old. I am single. I have never had a real boyfriend. I want to change that. I want to wake up on Sunday, July 12 (my 30th birthday) in the arms of a man that I love (or at least really really like), not staring at the dog's butt (you'd be surprised at how many mornings this is the sight that greets me when I open my eyes). This morning I subscribed to eHarmony. I've tried Match.com before, with little success, and want to try something new. Their prices are usually too high, but they had a sale (and I'm a sucker for a sale) so I decided to try it. I'm trying not to get my hopes up. So far all of the men seem to be most proud of "keeping physically fit" which is admirable, but I have a sneaking suspicion that those aren't the guys that are going to find me appealing. And besides, I like a man who's a little chunky himself. Anyway, I've paid for three months. I guess if I get at least one decent date out of it it'll be worth it. "
I posted this on February 21, 2009. Looking back, I can't believe how things have changed since then. Subscribing to eHarmony that day changed my life. If I hadn't I never would have met Steve. I wouldn 't be about to marry the most amazing man on the planet and my best friend. My favorite line is the last one. I can honestly say that that was the best $70 I ever spent.

Lonesome Dove

Dear Lonesome Dove,
You are one of the best books I've ever read in my life. I love (and hate) your characters and your plots. Reading you makes me happy. Please don't ever end.

What makes you authentically you?

Last week my college roomated posted this question on her blog: What makes you authentically you? What makes you who you are? Different from everyone else? Well, here's a run-down of some of the things that make me authentically me.
1. I hate waking up early. If I had my choice I'd stay up late and sleep late.
2. I like the story. I want to know why and how about everything. And if you tell me about a person I'm going to make you describe him/her to me so that I can get a mental image.
3. As previously mentioned, I am lazy about the little things. Just today I didn't make file folders for vocab tests because I just didn't want to.
4. I've become more domestic since dating Steve and I like it. I cook, clean, do yard work, and I've never been happier. Even when I'm picking up pine cones.
5. I worry that people think I'm not smart.
6. I can never watch the following movies enough: Love Actually, Steel Magnolias, Sense and Sensibility.
7. I look at my engagement ring a million times a day. I really belived that I'd be single forever and I'm still amazed that I'm actually getting married.
8. I am a strict follower of expiration dates.
9. I like to be surrounded by pictures of the people I love.
10. I like to sing to my dog. I make up songs and put her name into other songs. "I love Grace, from her tail up to her face..."
11. I wish I was sillier (sometimes, not all the time).
12. Venice is my favorite place on Earth and think that I could live there even though it's so far away from my family.
13. I am a slow reader. I'm very thorough and can't skim anything: I have to read every single word. I used to be embarassed by that fact but now I think it helps me relate to my students.
14. I don't hate football. In fact, I have a fantasy team.
15. I have a hard time making decisions. I usually know what I want, I just have a hard time committing to it.
Keep this topic going. What makes you authentically you?

Random acts of blogging...

I briefly abandoned my blogging endeavor only to now be addicted to posting things that people may or may not read. So today I'm going to share some random information. Just random little facts that I feel compelled to share with the world.

1. I am a terrible speller. I have no idea whether compelled has one l or two. Usually I check this type of thing. And people always say to me: "but you're an English teacher! Shouldn't you be able to spell?" No, I shouldn't. I know lots of big words, I just don't know how to spell them.
2. I'm lazy about the little things. Laundry? Sure I'll do it. Vacuum? Okay.(BTW, who the hell knew that vacuum had two 'u's? It certainly wasn't me!) Put the Netflix movie in the mailbox? Check the correct spelling of compelled? No way. That's too much work.
3. I think my job would be absolutely perfect if school started at 9:45 instead of 7:45. Would it be too much to ask for a girl to get to sleep until 7:00 instead of waking up at 5:00?
4. That is all.

Going to the chapel...

As many of you know, gentle readers, I am getting married! So far the planning hasn't been too bad. Here's my checklist:
1. Find a church DONE!
2. Find a minister DONE!
3. Find a reception hall DONE!
4. Buy a dress DONE!
5. Find a caterer DONE!
6. Find a baker DONE!
8. Find a florist DONE!
9. Pick out invitations DONE!

There's lots more to do, but as you can see, I'm well on my way!

Off to a great start

This year is off to a great start so far. I have great classes and wonderful students. I really feel like I'm accomplishing something. I don't remember the last time I've been this happy professionally. Last year I really struggled. Part of it was my attitude and part of it was challenges I faced at work. Over the summer I had a come to Jesus meeting with myself and realized that I had to change: I can't control the challenges I face, but I can control my reaction to and attitudes towards them. I made up my mind that this year would be better. And it is! Let's hope this continues!

Venito: Bellissimo!

The last stop on our Italian vacation was Venice. Beautiful Venice. We turned in the rental car at Marco Polo Airport (thank goodness!) and hopped on a water bus that took us to the island that is Venice. Venice is an island (actually 117 of them connected by bridges) that has absolutely no cars. What a welcome change! We walked most everywhere we went while there. The only other option is to take some type of boat. On our first night there we found that the map given to us by the hotel was nearly completely useless: the millions of little side streets and alleys that makes up Venice are not on the map. This took some getting used to for Steve. I, however, liked just wandering down streets, finding unexpected things around each corner, hoping you were walking in the right direction. On our first night there we ate in an enchanting restaurant that had a back patio with a ceiling of vines with lanterns hanging from them. It was very romantic. (The food was also very good: tagliatelle with crab sauce...yum). We visited the Doge's palace, St. Marks Square and Basilica, and the Ponte di Rialto. All of these places were packed with tourists but as soon as you were away from these sights Venice was much less crowded and you could really take in the city.
The highlight of our time in Venice was the gondola ride. What is more romantic than a gondola ride? Our gondolier began the ride by pointing out some of the sights we passed and soon the gondolier in front of us began to sing. About halfway through the ride Steve proposed. (He did a very good job!) After the gondola ride we went for gelato (our favorite dessert!) and then walked back to the hotel. The perfect end to the perfect vacation!
There's not much left to tell of our Italian vacation. The next day we took a train back to Rome (on this trip we used every type of transportation imaginable: plane, car, bus, subway, boat, gondola, train) which was nice- we got to see lots of the countryside. We spent the night at a hotel close to the airport to make our early flight (turns out they would have held the plane if we'd been late- they held it for other people!) and headed back to reality (almost, we still got to fly home in first class). Our Italian vacation was amazing. Italy is more amazing and beautiful than I could have ever imagined. Oh, and while we were in Rome we both threw a coin backwards with our right hand over our left shoulder in Trevi Fountain, just to make sure that we go back one day!