I hate you Courtney

I hate my downstairs neighbor Courtney. She's from Alabama, where they leave their apartments empty but inititate the most irritating screensaver in the world and turn it up to the highest volume. Not only does this grating screensaver sound like bubbles sporadically popping up to awaken your pleasant sleep, but it also has some weird robot voice overlay--saying what? Who knows, probably, "Jane doesn't deserve to sleep, she only works an eight hour job." That's what it's saying to me. I'm going to have to leave a nasty note on her door.

Wedded Bliss

Better be damned good. Getting married in countdown 5 days, and I have had several horrific nightmares in the past few months regarding the wedding whereas I usually dream about bowls of fish or other placid mundane things.

Dreams include having a crinkled dress, having the reception at Horn and Horn smorgasbord, marrying Zell Miller's son (played by Scott Speedman!) who told me via correspondance after the wedding that he was going to hit me if I didn't "shut up!" after being chased by my ex-boyfriend on a bicycle. Chris had a Wedding related dream too--the wolfman broke up our wedding.

Reading:
I just ordered Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Never Let Me Go, as well as Everything is Illuminated author's latest: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I'll fill in those gaps when I'm on a more reliable computer (blogger is not coming up on the powerbook for some reason). I'm finishing Sarum by Edward Rutherford. Those books are interesting, but they are sooo long. Also, When My Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park.

In a note, Jonathan Safran Foer, the author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, awesome title, btw, was at Politics & Prose last night. What was I doing? Going over the seating arrangement with my mother.
What are some good children's books--like longer chapter books, in the vein of Charlotte's Webb?

Listening:
The Postal Service

Writing purpose:
Avoiding Getting Ready for work.

Recently Read

Reread:
East of Eden, John Steinbeck (****)
Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood (****)
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley (****)
American Gods-Neil Gaiman (*****)

Newly Read
Confessions of Max Tivoli, Sean Andrew Greer (**)

That rating system is:
* - AWFUL DEADPAN WASTE of TIME
** - Made no impression
*** - I enjoyed this read! Fluffy bit of goods that it was
**** - Wow! YES! Fantastic!
***** - life changing, will now pack up my belongings to duplicate the plot of this book, or to camp out on author's bookstep

I'm still muddling through:
Rereading:
Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (****)
Nine Stories - JD Salinger (*****)

Reading
Bel Canto - Ann Patchett
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susannah Clark

It's December?

What happened? Just last week it was August, and I was starting a new job. Now it's december, I have 23 kids, a great new class, a renewed sense of peace, and Thanksgiving is already over. WTF?
As much as I enjoyed my time in Atlanta, ever since I've been in DC I've just felt like, wow, I'm home. My new apartment and my old apartment kind of illustrate my feelings. My old apartment was shiny, spacious, newly renovated, squeaky clean. But it never felt lived it, despite the futon, the cats, the attempts to decorate. My new apartment has crazy leaks, clogging toilets, rattly heat, but it's also got CHARM, and feels comfy like some old tired shoes. REally cute shoes, but they've seen better days.

I will post pictures soon, I promise, I'm being quite stingy about that.

Work at Two Rivers is awesome; I just absolutely love the environment. It's totally positive; NO Ms. SATs here at all. What's funny about that is all of my kids now call me Jane now, no Ms. Y, not even Ms. Jane (which i loathe!).

I think there's no hidden authority there, the kids know my role and they know their role, they're polite and kind not because of any kind of power struggle, but because that's just how we treat each other. It's like, amazing. It's beautiful man!

Insert theme to 2001: Space Odyssey Here

Because this is, ladies and gents, my 100th blog.

In jane news:
1. Turned 25
2. Started work at my AWESOME new job
3. Embarrased myself to a new level of humiliation in a very public setting where a man with a microphone called me out.
4. Received two awesome and endearing gifts from two awesome and endearing friends.
5. Became a certified resident of the District of Columbia

Wow, so lots of stuff going on here.
But i just wanted to comment that prominently featured in the Washington Post Magazine is this girl who used to work on the Hill, slept with some guys, got fired from her job because she posted their initials and everyone figured out who they were, and took money from them, and as a result has a book deal, a Playboy layout (or whatever they call it) and a cover story in fricking washington post magazine! I mean good grief, I don't really care that she slept with several men or took money and "gifts" from them, but I really think that the public reaction to this chippie is a bit ridiculous. Is this where feminism has brought us? Just because this story takes place in DC does not make it any more "highbrow".

Also, I would just like to post the Teach For America Core Values, because I like them, I like to think about them and reflect on whether I am actually pursuing them in my life, and if Teach for America sues me, so be it (please don't sue me):

• Relentless Pursuit of Results
• Constant Learning
• Personal Responsibility
• Respect and Humility
• Positive Outlook
• Integrity
• Collective Impact

On that note, please have a wonderful week!

Thoroughly Whomped

So renewed love for Canasta suddenly turns into remembered disgust when I lose utterly and completely to Angela last night while watching the convention. Love canasta, which is a version of rummy that can create major point stress.  Lots of melds and draws and bonuses for red 3's that aren't usually included in solitaire, for example.

I'm also missing the Lion King on broadway, which is what Chris is doing right now. He and his brother and some friends went up to New York to do some sightseeing this weekend. I was too pooped from a recent workshop I attended to tag along.

Tonight Angela came over and we made coconut shrimp and Annie Chun's noodles; then off to the mall!  We scoured the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, where a pair of hip new shoes and the best natural skincare products were purchased; Benetton having a fabulous 50% off sale; and Sephora!    Don't you like how I added all those great links? It's like follow jane around the mall!

We went to DC Coast this past week. Let me tell you something. If you ever go to DC Coast, have the lobster bisque. Just have it. No no, don't question the lobster bisque. Just trust me.

best snack ever?

My best snack ever has to be Natural Cheetos. I've been seeing them in the snack food aisle for a while, but always thought, "eh, it couldn't be that good." But I was dead wrong, they are the best snack I have ever eaten. 
 
In wedding news, yes, there actually is some, just because I've been sitting here watching episode after episode of the Gilmore Girls, doesn't mean that I haven't been doing SOMEthing productive this summer, we have decided to get married in Hawaii. This conversation snippet should shed some light:
 
J: "So I made the appointment to view possible reception sites; I'm also going to go dress shopping next week. I've been looking around for somewhere to have a ceremony too if we are going to try to find a separate place for that;  are you sure you want to have the wedding in Frederick? "
C: "um."
J: "We can do it in a restaurant in DC, if we do that we can cut out the DJ, the dance floor, the reception site rental."
C: "um."
J: "OK. Why don't you just tell me flat out what kind of wedding you want, where you want it, how many people you want to come."
C: "I want to get married in Hawaii."
J: "um."