Snapshots

What?! I haven't written since Halloween. Shame on me. Honestly, and I'm not just saying this...I've been really busy. Like maybe busier than I ever have been. Ever.

Now that the hyperbole is over with I just wanted to share a few...snapshots...if you will. And I know, reader, that you will...

1. I'm going to take a break from ordering things online. Last week I ordered a new 'work' swimsuit (an athletic swim suit not a cute hot-tub-with-your-boyfriend swimsuit, you get me?) from Nike.com. A box came from Nike today and I opened it with the anticipation that all packages are opened with to find a...pair of board shorts. Wah-wah. So I call Nike's customer service where I learn that the swimsuit I ordered doesn't exist. It was a figment of the Interweb's imagination that had the same style number as a pair of board shorts. Darn.

I also ordered a totally cool map from a German website in early November. I have yet to receive it. I know that Europe is far away but I'm pretty sure they aren't sending things by boat anymore. So I emailed a nice German man (typing those two words together feels redundant) named Dirk who told me that "It was shipped via DHL as a "Päckchen", which has unfortunately not tracking code". He offered to send me another one...I told him I'd give the original another week. No wonder DHL went out of business in the US (shouts to Molly!)

2. On my way home from work today I was stopped at a light. I glanced at the car to my left which happened to be a shiny red truck of some kind and in the passenger window staring right at me was Santa. Not making this up. The hair, beard, hat, suit. He smiled and waved his sausage fingers, each one bedecked with a gold ring. Needless to say that brought a smile to my face. How great is Christmas?

3. Speaking of Christmas...the start of a relationship feels a lot like Christmas morning. That mix of excitement and anxiety...you're not sure yet if you're getting a Kindle or a paper back John Grisham from a thrift store...

4. The more time I spend with Jr. High School students the more that I'm sure that their brains are broken. In elementary they're still cute and innocent. In high school they're starting to put the pieces together but in Jr. High there's a huge disconnect. And I'm the b-word that has to hold them accountable and try to treat them like functioning human beings. Which they are not. (this is pretty pessimistic...but the two classes I have right now are pretty tough. I'm hopeful that things will get better)

I feel really good right now. Hope you all feel the same.

Loves and Peaces.