Quick Takes

Quick takes!! Yessss! I’m being super sneaky and writing this AHEAD of time, because I know I’ll be busy busy and unable to blog on Friday! But I’ll get to that. SO! Week in recap: here goes.

Quick Takes 2-25-11

Seeing as I’m doing a terrible job of blogging on a regular basis, I’ve decided to join the “7 Quick Takes Friday” club. And a great way to control my impulse to just talk about myself and the mundane things that are going on in my life. haha

– 1 –

I started substitute teaching this week!! I gave a quiz and started Thirteen Days with three classes on Wednesday, and today I will be subbing for the art teacher. Exactly where I want to be! It should be an interesting experience. I know that substituting is not at ALL like being a teacher. It sort of reminds me of a chaperone vs. youth minister… one is there to carry on what the other has started, but the other has a long-term commitment to seeing those kids through something. Being a stand-in isn’t nearly as fun as getting to know them, pushing them to be their best, teaching and leading by example, etc. But I’m grateful for the sub job, and am looking forward to lots of adventures because of it!

– 2 –

It rained for a little bit today for the first time in a while. It’s funny — a few weeks ago when the snowpocalyse was rolling through, all we got was rain and clouds. I got SO antsy to see the sun! Today, I found myself wishing it would thunderstorm and rain like crazy. Sometimes I think I’m losing my mind!

– 3 –

Mom and I were shopping a couple weeks ago and found gorgeous mirrors at Target for $30 on sale! And they’re big, too — like 3×2 foot, hang on your wall and feel like you have nice things, big! I don’t know if they’re still there, but they had a brushed bronze/brown and black. TOTES WORTH IT! I can’t wait to hang it in my next living space… wherever and whenever.

– 4 –

I got a letter today from the University of Texas at Austin! I have been offered a spot in the Fall 2011 MA in Art Education program. I am THRILLED! It has been such a long wait since I submitted applications (and a lot of mayhem and mishaps with the UT app, especially), that I thought I was definitely going to hear a “no” from them. God is SO good! I will keep waiting to hear back from UNT and UH before I make any decisions… and keep discerning if this is what I should do. I am so thankful that it is now a real option and not just a “hope”!

– 5 –

I have REALLY been considering flying up to Steubenville for Easter. I would give anything to spend the weekend in such a vibrant Catholic community, and with so many friends that mean so much to me. I know the solemnities and celebrations will be like nothing I have ever experienced before, and I am itching to visit Franciscan (“The Catholic Cool Kids Club”). Plane tickets are just so expensive… at least I have a month or so to decide!

– 6 –

The Purge has been going well. I have been trying to clean out my life and my “stuff,” and it happens in bursts. The last one got a lot of the paperwork and tangible (yet somewhat haunting and tortuous) memories of my undergrad work out, and now I only have a couple smaller mini-projects to deal with.

• As crafty as I love to be, I have piles of things “to be scrapbooked” that remain piles or boxes of stuff. I really need to figure out how to make myself sit down and deal with all of it.
• I have a giant box of CDs that I honestly don’t know what to do with. Who even has CDs anymore??! And what do you do with all the cases and sleeves and everything? I still use CDs in my car occasionally, but I don’t want to tempt burglars with books of original CDs. Regardless, I need to update my iTunes library and then put them away, I guess.
• Art supplies. It’s definitely something that must be tackled. And there is no better word. Tackled.

Still have a lot to do, and it’s more time-consuming than just throwing stuff out. Yikes!

– 7 –

I’ve been worrying thinking about what I should do for Lent this year. I was working in Florida last year, and wasn’t able to really put myself into the season. After such a powerful summer, I really want to be present and focus on preparing for Easter. But I’m also considering working on small things that will sustain me after Lent is over. I always try to take on everything at once… I’m WAY too “all or nothing”/”go big or go home,” and I feel like I really need to work on being even-keeled but still passionately obsessed. Aghh… who even knows?!

Btw, the Aggie Catholic Lenten mega-compilation and links/suggestions/faqs extravaganza is a pretty awesome place to start thinking: Aggie Catholic Lent 2011.  I still look better in burnt orange… but man, I love those Ags!