Ran a 5 mile race today. Not my best time, but the leg felt great throughout the race, and I enjoy the riverfront course with its historic waterfront homes and phenomenal river views. The weather was amazing so after our race we showered, changed, grabbed lunch and headed for the beach. We enjoyed a leisurely 3 mile stroll, amused by the fearless kids in the cold water, the patient pelicans, and the gluttony of the gulls. A delightful afternoon. Florida, you enchantress, how you make me forget my worries!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
58/365 Bursting at the Seams
I am bursting at the seams with anticipation, worry, and confusion. 12 years, countless programs and thousands of unpaid hours haven't been enough to keep the husband's job. The principal CHOSE to cut music. CHOSE to cut his program. Nobody wants a teacher to lose a job, but even with one less 2nd grade teacher the school will still offer 2nd grade. But there won't be Senior Chorus, Primary Chorus, Visiting Artists Series, Voices of Paterson, Instrument Ensemble, a Play, a Variety Show or a program for commencement without the music teacher. Will he have a job? Sure. But a dozen years building something from scratch was ignored. Gotta' admit, I'm thinking of a bad word I'd like to call the principal.
Bursting for myself. What will I be doing next year? Next month? Teachers are getting pink slips, and they're not exactly having recruitment incentives. I have an interview at a daycare center on Monday. Today I took an interesting call. The principal of a Title I school in my county received my resume. While she cannot hire from general funds, she is interested in creating a position for a literacy coach. She wants a "right hand" person to model lessons, work with disaggregated data and bring best practices into her school. Because Title I funds this position, she CAN hire. My interview is Wednesday. Good thing I did a little illegal shopping (illegal due to our financial condition) here in Roanoke, VA. I bought 2 suits for interviewing, hence the exploding roll-aboard.
Bursting for my daughter. Her musicianship is improving in leaps and bounds. Her academics? Not so much. She NEEDS an arts school to help her focus. Her audition was almost 3 weeks ago. Is she in? If not, what then? I'm going to need to open the expansion zipper, both on my nerves and on my bag!
Posted by JSG at 3:46 PM 2 comments
Thursday, February 26, 2009
57/365 Granny Leg
Putting the Chuck Tayors back on after security I wondered whose grandmother's swollen foot was wearing my sock. The swelling goes all the way up the calf. Sure the right knee was the one that was screaming, but ice and Aleve have made that a non-issue. I ran today anyhow, an hour on the Courtyard fitness center treadmill. But maybe it's time for the doc.
Posted by JSG at 8:22 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
56/365 Back in the Suitcase
The Place:
Holiday Inn Express. Alexandria, Louisiana. Fitness Center, 1st floor
The Time:
5 AM CST
Report:
Treadmill #1. Not working.
Treadmill #2. Display won't illuminate.
Elliptical trainer. One wingnut away from self-destruction.
Stationary bike. Pedals move but the seat is anything but stationary.
Prognosis:
No cardio for me today.
Posted by JSG at 6:54 AM 4 comments
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
55/365 Lunch and a Show
Some things about traveling will not be missed: hotels of questionable integrity and cleanliness, night-time drives by the light of the navigator, the TSA, and regional jets, to name a few. But one thing I will miss greatly are the opportunities for prime people-watching in the airport. At 1:30 this afternoon I arrived in Atlanta with an empty tummy and a 2 hour layover. The food court on concourse A met both needs. I found some chow, the veggie plate from Paschal's, a tribute to the power of pork fat to transform vegetables into something from heaven. But even better than the food was the entertainment.
Eating alone at my table for two, I had a clear view of the South American foursome across the aisle. The men sat at the table, talking loudly and sending the women off to fetch a meal of several courses, each from a separate venue. Eventually they settled down, but for one woman. She was a high-maintenance type, dressed all in form-fitting black knit. Her boots were high on top and pointy on the bottom. On her right shoulder she wore a folded scarf, warming nothing, just an accessory to break up the monochromatic get-up. While the others at her table feasted she was busy. Again and again the tickets came out of the Gucci bag, were checked, and were then replaced. She chatted incessantly, gesturing with long-nailed, bejeweled fingers. Boy, I thought, I'm glad I don't even try to work that hard at being female.
A few minutes later an older couple made their way to the empty table to my right. They wore travel casual, he in flannel and denim, she in terrycloth and fleece. Once the luggage was tucked under the table the wife went to the counter for the food. While the husband waited he unfolded his handkerchief and positioned it across his chest and belly. The wife returned with two heaping trays, put on her reading glasses, and they ate without a word. Sometimes her fork wandered to his plate, sometimes his to hers. Funny, but I don't recall them having a conversation to decide what food to purchase. Either she knew what he wanted or he doesn't get a vote. Either way, I was impressed. Though I don't ever wish for a marriage so long that it's old, that we have nothing to say, that a food court with a dozen choices doesn't even inspire speculation.
Sure, I'm doing a bit of filling in and more than a little stereotyping, but I find myself interested in "types" of people. Yet even with years of intense study I haven't figured out which type I am.
Posted by JSG at 6:13 PM 3 comments
Monday, February 23, 2009
54/365 The Soprano Learns to Belt
Take off the wig and the hoop gown. Throw away the period costume. Momma can belt now. Thanks to my amazing voice teacher, Carole Clifford, I have found my inner Broadway baby. Momma can wail, all the way up to a D! Never knew I had it in me. Oh happy day!
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 1 comments
Labels: belting, Dr. Clifford, happiness, singing
Sunday, February 22, 2009
53/365 THE Boy
He's a major crush, and he's over at the house. Even though this crush takes way too much time away from school and other priorities, I've got to admit that he's rather polite and they are cute together. Maybe I'll let her date him... TEN YEARS FROM NOW.
Posted by JSG at 7:20 PM 6 comments
Saturday, February 21, 2009
52/365 Bravo
Took in a play this evening, The Diary of Anne Frank at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. I must admit that my favorite part was intermission. The lights went up but the cast never left the stage. The Frank family was locked away, so the cast did the same. Throughout the 15 minute intermission the players remained in character, improvising a scene from a day in the life of hiding. These young actors never broke character, never crossed the "fifth wall" never missed a beat. Wow.
Posted by JSG at 10:44 PM 1 comments
Friday, February 20, 2009
51/365 "I Pity the Food"
I fell asleep with some random cable channel on the hotel room TV, something way past CNN, maybe channel sixty-something. Finally getting some sleep after two long, sleepless nights on the road, I was blissfully unaware of the programming flashing a few feet from my bed: Bob and his happy enhancements, William "Billy" D. Mays's abrasive pitch for orange-inspired cleaning products and tear-streaked, open-handed televangelists. Tossing in the sheets this morning attempting to eke out every possible ounce of sleep, I was stirred by the most preposterous sight. Mr. T stood behind a studio kitchen counter, marveling at the moisture of steaks prepared in the Flavor Wave Turbo Oven. This was so overdone I thought it was a Saturday Night Live parody. As he tasted each Flavor Waved treat he delivered his traditional Mr. T-isms, sternly admonishing the audience to knock out fat and calories. How can I improve my day after a start like that?
Posted by JSG at 5:37 AM 2 comments
Labels: hotels, infomercial, Mr. T, sleeping
Thursday, February 19, 2009
50/365 Comforted by Comfort Food
30 degrees and windy in Towson, Maryland. I haven't slept at all on the road this week and I need something good. Enter the Towson Diner. Split pea soup, steak fries and a chef's salad. Yes, bring the bread basket. So what if I'm training for a race. I need happy food.
Posted by JSG at 9:19 PM 1 comments
Labels: cold, food, grumpiness
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
49/365 In Kneed of Support
I didn't realize how much my knee hurts until this afternoon, when having a writing conference with a seminar attendee. I tried to kneel beside her table as she read her piece and when my knee touched the floor an involuntary noise came out of my throat - a sound akin to the screech of tires on wet asphalt. I'll be wearing my compression brace and running through the pain. Yes, I'm that stupid.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
48/365 Their, They're, There
Posted by JSG at 8:22 PM 2 comments
Monday, February 16, 2009
47/365 Power Rake
Posted by JSG at 10:14 AM 2 comments
Sunday, February 15, 2009
46/365 Another Race, Another Porta Potty
Posted by JSG at 1:03 PM 2 comments
Labels: Jacksonville, porta-potty, Running
Saturday, February 14, 2009
45/365 The Youngest Singer
Ilana participated in her first NATS audition today. She was the youngest singer to participate. While she didn't place, she had great composure and professionalism. With hard work and a good dose of luck, I think her talents can take her far.
Posted by JSG at 8:32 PM 1 comments
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
43/365 I'm waiting...
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
42/365 A Cat Would Really Appreciate This
We don't know what kind of birds they are, so we call them the squeaky birds - they squeak when they fly.I took this picture from my bedroom window, squeezing in between my two cats. They were looking off in the other direction.
Posted by JSG at 4:03 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
41/365 Not Camera Shy
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: duh, facebook, myspace, teenagers, teenagers daughter
Monday, February 9, 2009
40/365 The Young Musician's Queue
We're running out of room on the piano. Lesson books, vocal exercise books, anthologies of songs and arias, and music theory books crowd the space on the small ledge above the keys. All hold assignments and opportunities for our young musician. She's just beginning to glimpse her potential.
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: music, teenagers daughter
Sunday, February 8, 2009
39/365 Double Trouble
After several days of cold weather, closed windows and the resultant extended sleep, finally Hansel and Gretel can get back to the important work of daytime: stalking birds behind the safety of a screen. Thanks to the 70-degree plus temperatures they had many screen opportunities. Tireless when facing the task, they watched for hours, staring down every robin, jay, and sparrow that dared to enter their terrain. They will sleep well tonight.
Posted by JSG at 6:40 PM 1 comments
Saturday, February 7, 2009
38/365 Mah Jongg
In-laws over for dinner tonight. We had a lovely chat, scrumptious home-made chicken pot pie and a delightful walk around the block. We also spent 2 hours playing mah jongg. It's like rummy, but you can only play certain combinations of hands, and it moves at a mind-numbing pace.
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Friday, February 6, 2009
37/365 Enough Already!
The third straight night of a hard freeze. Floridians should NOT have to scrape ice off windshields in the morning.
Posted by JSG at 11:59 PM 1 comments
Labels: cold
Thursday, February 5, 2009
36/365 A Blanket of Flowers
Now that my snapdragons are nice and cozy I think I may have to move to the equator. Florida is too cold.
Posted by JSG at 10:17 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
35/365 Sick Day
We girls were both feeling under the weather so we made today a sick day. This is Ilana near the end of her second afternoon nap. She looks so sweet and innocent when she's sleeping. We even had some silliness, tickle time and mother-daughter bonding. Her health and her mother's heart are both feeling much better.
Posted by JSG at 4:20 PM 2 comments
Labels: motherhood, teenagers
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
34/365 More Cat Pics
Kind of a crummy day, as I was experiencing some strange (maybe flu-like) symptoms. Thankfully my trusted companions were by my side. Notice the lack of collars. It seems that we're running a feline nudist colony. Good thing we no longer need the pink and blue collars to discern the girl from the boy cat.
Posted by JSG at 11:00 PM 1 comments
Monday, February 2, 2009
33/365 Challah!
Chilly and drizzly with limited sun, today is the kind of day that calls for fresh, warm, home-made bread. Besides, it's the perfect accompaniment to the vat of split pea soup that I've been working since last night. The house has a warm, toasty smell that thumbs its nose at the gray outdoors. I can't wait for supper!
Posted by JSG at 1:52 PM 2 comments
Sunday, February 1, 2009
32/365 In his Natural Habitat
The superbowl isn't enough for this Royal Commander of the Remote Control. Seamlessly he flips from football to Nancy Grace to Lucy Ricardo. A real man's man.
Posted by JSG at 8:55 PM 3 comments