Sunday, February 29, 2004
I'm taking a break from blogger. However, if you want to see what I'm up to, come on over to my Live Journal!
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Tuesday, February 10, 2004
I don't know where all the stories went. For as long as I remember, my mind used to be filled with people who talked, argued, loved, played, and just lived. I had about 3 or 4 stories running around in my head, and I mentally wrote at least a chapter a day. I "wrote" and "revised" at all times of the day, but especially when I was alone in the car, or right before bed. Soon my people were more alive than my family and my classmates.
A few months ago, I realized that I was watching TV until I would fall asleep on the couch, or if I made it into bed, I would click on BBC until I dozed off. Instead of creating in my own stories in the car, I'm listening to others tell their stories on "This American Life." If NPR isn't catching me, I put in a book on CD or listen to music. That's another thing. Music. It used to be the soundtrack to my masterpieces, and now it's just a beat set to lyrics.
I feel dull, unimaginative, and old. Most of all, I feel abandoned and very much alone. My characters-no, my friends have left me.
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Wednesday, January 21, 2004
I finally got my hair cut. I haven't cut my hair for two years, which was a long stretch for the person I used to be. My routine consisted of a cut and touch-up/highlites every 5-6 weeks, costing in the proximity of $80 + $5 tip. My hairdresser gave me an engagement present, for God's sake! My hair length ranged from Elisabeth Shue in Hollow Man to Melissa from The Real World: New Orleans.
Then I got engaged.
I figured I would want to do a nice updo for my wedding, so I started to grow out the half bleached mess on top of my head (from the red highlites, don't you know.) Even though I ate vitamins especially for nice thick hair, I still had a chin length frizzy, curly, messy bob by the time the wedding rolled around. I had to wear fake hair for lift, and even though it looked pretty good, I still knew my hair was as ersatz as the pale tone of my skin. (The wedding was in Pakistan. Need I say more? We had to compromise between paper white and the natural tone I wanted.)
My hair has grown all the way down my back, about 4 inches below my shoulder blades when wet (at my shoulder blades when dry). It looks heavenly when I use Fructis and a good texture cream, but who has time? It usually ends up pulled into a low ponytail with a mountain of frizz adorning my crown. The ends were horrifically dry and full of split ends. You could feel the damage even after a good shampoo. I was gong crazy for a good cut, but I didn't have the courage to go ahead and do it, especially considering the monetary and emotional cost. What if the stylist cuts off too much? What if s/he makes it look like it was attacked by a weedwhacker?
I gave in. I had stopped for some milk, and noticed the Fantastic Sam's right next door. I walked in, and the rest...
I forgot how wonderful it feels to have someone handle your hair so gently, and how good it is when your scalp is massaged during the shampoo. I want another haircut, simply for the experience! I'm considering highlites again, but since I'm taking precautionary pre-natal vitamins, my head has been greasier than usual, which means frequent shampooing. Red dye (the only color I would consider) washes out much too soon for me to even consider the cost. But until then, my layered, light and healthy hair will be on display! Paul Mitchell, here I come!
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Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Does anyone know what happened to Chai and Apple Pie? I miss her writing. :(
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Sunday, December 21, 2003
I've been seriously thinking of closing down my blog, especially since livejournal is so much more fun. I also tend to update it more regularly than this site. I don't know, though. I think I might keep this up. I'll have to see.
Movies I want to see before the end of this year (video and cinema):
Hobbit and friends
Strong teacher
Scary cheese
Dancing cheese
Flying children
Mutant mania
Big lips
Pink power!
Drew
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Sunday, November 30, 2003
We've got a new computer! I can update! (please see blog for details.)
S. and I went to the movies on Wednesday, and we ended up seeing The Missing. It was ok, but it dragged on way too long. The most exciting part was the trailer for The Day After Tomorrow. Oh yeah, I'm there.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2003
I know I'm not the most regular poster, and I apologize. I had promised myself that I was going to write more, and I had, for a time, honored that promise. Now it seems, however, that I will be posting even more sporadically. Our computer is not behaving, and I had to drop it off at the shop. It will be gone for at least three weeks. I'll update from school whenever I can, but as Eid and Thanksgiving are next week, I won't have access to a computer. If I can sneak in a session at a relative's house, or perhaps the library, I will. Until then, sayonara!
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Sunday, November 09, 2003
Our school is a small, independent school, and it has a really great Parent Council that handles everything from mini-grants to teachers to handling Pizza Day in the lunchroom. What is also handles is the gossip and rumor mill, churning out half truths based on fact and spreading them as fast as their flapping tongues can take them. Last year was a really tough year for us because our classes were overloaded. Our usual load is 17-20 children per class, and we had 23. It doesn't seem like much, but 3 extra kids does make a difference when you're planning classes and groups. Not to mention that the whole class atmosphere gets thrown off.
Because of the stage-wide overcrowding (we're in stages, not grades), another teacher was almost fired. The children in her class were out of control because she had a few discipline cases and they influenced the rest of the class. One parent started spreading rumors about her and her teaching methods, and because of the rumors and half truths, many children were pulled out of the school. Our director gave her another chance, and things have improved this year.
Remember how I said that Pat's parents had a great conference with me and my co-teacher? Well, apparently, we're the only ones who thought so. Another parent told me that they thought the conference was unsatisfying and that they're unhappy with our thoughts and suggestions about their child. They're British, and they feel that their son is supposed to be reading Shakespeare at 8, even though we told them that every child is different, and some don't start reading until 10. He reads, and he's slowly gaining fluency, but that's not fast enough for them. Anyhow, what makes me angry is that they won't come and talk to us, instead they have to spread rumors and talk behind our back. I'm secure in my position because I try my best and I'm good at what I do, so I know I won't be getting sacked unless I do something seriously wrong.
Why must politics come into everything?
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Saturday, November 01, 2003
Updated my links.
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Parent-teacher conferences were this week. It wasn't too bad, especially since we were expecting to get blasted by a certain set of parents. Said parents were actually quite mellow, unlike their usual prickly super-Brit selves. We had a good discussion about their son, and we came up with some great strategies for helping the little tyke get a handle on his reading. You see, last year Pat was having some trouble with his Math workbook. He told us he had left it at home, and he told his parents he had handed back in. Mom got really upset and angry at ME for "losing" it, and Dad threatened us with dire consequences if we didn't find it. Turns out it had "fallen" under the car seat. We had a meeting, and apologies were given and accepted. Since then, however, Mary and I have been a little wary of Pat's parents. Anyhow, we had a great conference with them, and a feeling of satisfaction abounded.
Since we had to be at school until 8ish on Wednesday and Thursday, we were given Friday off. We also get Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving, and I'm taking that Tuesday off for Eid. I love my job.
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