Chia-like, I shall grow

I'm wrapped up in the orange and white blanket my grandmother knitted me as a graduation present last spring because it is positively freezing in my apartment. The cold air does not leak, but rather floods in through my very old, poorly insulated windows. Thank you for a very cold Knoxville morning. In less than two hours, I will begin my fifteen-hour observation project at Austin-East HS. I'm definitely excited about getting in there and getting in the mindset in which I'll need to be for next fall's internship, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some nervousness. I am, however, very excited about wearing "teacher's clothes" today. I hate being overdressed for my classes, but I feel better when I know I look good. Silly yeah. About a week ago, I had one of those 'oh sh-t' moments as I realized that I'd have to be at school Monday through Friday at 7:30am for a potentially very long time. I told my dad, to which he replied "Well yeah..." . I'm a little slow sometimes.

I'm still determined and quite honestly more interested in developing my writing and turning it into some sort of sell-able or otherwise form of barter, but right now I'm feeling pretty content in having the ability (and certification) to teach. Of course, there is nothing saying that I can't or won't manage to do both. Speaking of writing, I've managed to really refine an idea I've had for a sort of historical zombie novel that would trace some of the principals and ideas in the birth of our nation, but in a post-apocalyptic, zombie brain-eating way. In reading M.T Anderson's Feed as well as some of the other amazing novels we've been reading in my YA class, I've become increasingly interested in the idea of writing for adolescents. So there's that and also continuing to play with the script I turned in as my final project for Larsen's screenwriting class.

Another thing I've been thinking over is this need for me to get out more and be a little more active in developing new friendships, rather than just relying on the old ones all the time. I have a very bad tendency to insulate myself and shy away from new experiences, which is something I really want to get away from. Many times I've let World of Warcraft interfere with cultivating real-life friendships as well, so I consciously decided to quit the raiding guild I'd joined that was occupying a lot of my time during the week. Something I really need to work on is a healthier balance of the things I invest myself in. I should make a check list.

Which brings me to "things to do." I promise myself to finish Snow Crash this week and to get out and see "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Revolutionary Road." If you're interested in seeing those, I would love the company. Lastly, please go see the 2009 Vagina Monologues at the Clarence Brown Theater next week during one of the show dates (8th, 9th and 10th at 8pm). My very amazing and talented friend Heather directed this year's show, which not only serves as an eye-opening experience of the many issues faced by women worldwide, but helps to stop violence against women in donating proceeds to Safe Haven women's shelter. Please spend the $5 and two hours of your evening to support this fantastic event.

Farewell.