A Breakdown of My Desk

I'm a teacher.
I'm a high school photography teacher. I was hired on mid-year at the high school I went to as a teenager. I got the job right after I graduated with my Bachelors degree. I'm also getting married in 17 days, so life is crazy. Honestly, that's not my real excuse of why my desk is so disorganized, because this is the desk version of my bedroom my entire life, my brain, my purse, my backpack, my computer, etc.

But my motivation to clean it up is at an absolute zero because my brain is unable to settle down. Plus, I manage with the disorganization.

1. Apron. I teach film photography, so in order to protect my extremely expensive and highly fashionable wardrobe from chemicals, sometimes I wear this. And a mask. And gloves.

2. Pile of stuff. Names of students who put art in the art show, a binder of purchase order info, inventory stuff I'm not going to worry about likely until the day it's due, flyers, folders, magazines, etc.

3. Another pile of stuff. National Honor Society recommendations, negatives, contact sheets, photos from the darkroom, Drawing 1 exercises I need to hand back, etc. Also, a wrapper from my granola bar and glasses I mostly only wear when using the projector.

4. Memory cards left in students' computers that I tape to my computer. Sometimes students claim them. Sometimes they don't. I think that's because some of them are actually mine?

5. Lamp. Sometimes my space heater.

6. Binder for camera/card checkout. I open this thing up 1 million times a day.

7. A Treasury of Classic Poetry. A student left it behind yesterday. I also have a phone charger someone else left behind. This is becoming a common problem.

8. A couple of Holga cameras. AKA "toy cameras". They are like $35 on Amazon.com and you take instagram-like pictures using film. It's my best friend because students have had more successful rolls of film than on any other assignment using these cameras.

9. Pile of newspapers. I have no idea where they came from.

10. A gym bag. One of my students has been leaving it in here throughout the day this week.

11. My purse. It's always usually sitting right there. My purse looks just like my desk.

12. My shoes I've worn since my sophomore year of high school. One buckle is broken.

13. Another pile of stuff. Folders and papers. I had to organize my desk quickly last week when I had a sub come in.

14. Negatives that didn't work out for a couple of students. This is one of many. It's seriously a mystery I have to solve every time it happens. Was it the fixer? Was it camera problems? Did they put the column into the film tank correctly? Did they open the back of the camera prematurely? Did they even take pictures in the first place?

People Blog Still?

I mean, of course they do.

How else would we learn about women's opinions on leggings or the right way to handle vaccinations or the ten best ways to keep the spark in your relationship?

But in my world, for the most part, blogging has disintegrated slightly. I've been mildly distracted. Let me give you a rundown.

I student taught in Tonga.
I student taught in the states.
I started dating the greatest human ever.
I turned in my senior portfolio (twice).
I graduated/earned my teaching license.
I got a job teaching photography at the very same high school I attended a few years back.
I got engaged to the greatest human ever. 

Now I'm swamped with lesson plans, grading, stress headaches, wedding plans, and a really messy desk.

Tomorrow we're taking engagement pictures. Stay tuned, because we're really in love and we'll probably look pretty cute.

Baby Boy

 I love nephews.

Maternal

In just a few days, she'll be holding a baby instead of her belly.

Flourish

I wrote a poem for the first time in about over a year. I typed mostly senseless words, stringing them into an illogical likeness to the thoughts in my brain.

It's interesting what your fingers say when you force yourself to mindlessly speak through them.

Family Photos: Monochrome

I love this family & glad they're all a part of mine.

A Sneak Peek

Bridals Friday; beautiful day/beautiful bride & groom.

An Engagement in Salt Lake City

She and I became friends in Mrs. Jones' third grade class. We kicked each other's feet under the table and then we played Powerpuff Girls at recess. Six minutes later she's in love and marrying her first kiss, and they are a classy duo.

Kimberly, Jonathan

This was my Friday morning with such a lovely pair, lovely colors, and lovely scenery.

Jillian

Fact: I have never in my life heard her say anything bad about anyone. That's how you end up with your picture in the dictionary right next to "class".

Relevance

GPAs

and schools and

jobs and setting alarms

all seem irrelevant

when looking at 

how much of earth

there is still yet to meet.

Nieces

Today was a day off day, so I've been doing mostly completely nothing. One of those nothings included sifting through pictures. I decided to pick some that I thought would be cute printed and hung up. These are what I came up with.

(I've posted the above last picture before, but oh well.)

Here's to photography,
days off,
and blog updates.

Zion National Park, pt 1

It used to be an annual sister trip down to Southern Utah (See here, here, and here, if you so choose). But with sisters getting married, having kids, and moving away, it didn't really happen too much after a while. A couple years ago four of the five sisters were able to head down, and then this year again. Plus two of my sister's children.

Usually we go in February but this time around we were graced with April desert weather of ninety degrees. It was mainly bliss. (Coming home to what felt like twenty degrees was not appreciated. Nevertheless.) Unfortunately, we only hit two smaller hikes because of the heat and the kids and probably a little bit of laziness. Plus there was an outdoor pool at the motel, so nobody wanted to pass that one up. 

But let me just say. Sitting outside at night and being totally comfortable in shorts: absolute and complete perfection. I think sometimes I forget how much I actually miss summer nights. My soul loved it.

Old Friends/Bookends

Over spring break, me, Kiyna, and Alex ventured out into the world for some adventure. Mainly just to a nearby reservoir to bask on its "beach" in the "warm" weather. Combine a chilly, cloudy afternoon with fruit, berry-mint water, hipster in-love passersby, magazines, music, and pictures, and that was about what our beach day consisted of. It was also pretty much our last time for the three of us to hang out before Kiyna really ventured out into the world to serve a mission for our church for eighteen months. 

Latest update: I just received news that a letter has arrived at Alex's house for me. Yahoo!

A seagull representing my love life:

Kiyna's [gangster] motorcycle jacket because I was lacking in the warmth department.

 They're two of the classiest.

A Horse and Melted Snow

Because I miss walking in the summertime 

down to the park and leaning over the fence 

to call this horse and her baby over 

for a visit.

Also I miss walking outside without a coat.

Or shoes.

It's almost February. I'm glad because I'll be able to say that next month is spring. And even if it snows all through March,

it's still a relief knowing that it's just around a couple turns.

Something Lost

Today

I rebelled against myself rebelling against society. And I matched my socks. Second time doing so within a week.

I helped a blind man put a resume together.

My To Do list ('Today's Necessary' version) was completed a lot sooner than I expected.

I listened to Jaymay (Sycamore Down is my song of choice for the day . . . "What might you say if you could tell me anything?"). I always listen to the Jaymay station on Pandora, lately. Except it's mixed with Band of Horses and stuff because of my 'likes', so it is definitely an enjoyable source of sanity.

I cried.

My poetry class went mostly as I'd planned. I got docked a whole lot of points. I mostly deserved it. But I partially didn't.

Matching socks.

My window mobile.

Significance of the above picture? That's the top of what is apparently called "my closet". See that space between the wall and the closet? The other day I had a lot of homework, so naturally I cleaned my room. I had just finished a picture of some ballerinas with a lot of shading and plenty of time put into the project. I didn't really have a place to put it where it wouldn't get ruined, so I put it on top of my closet where it fit and it would be out of the way. As soon as I let go of the drawing, my heart plummeted down, down to my feet. Sliiip. The drawing slid right down the wall to the ground, down a gap I hadn't realized even existed. Lost forever in oblivion down a gaping hole where people bury their futures.

Yes. A pen now supports my amaryllis. 

The poor plant now has a certain air of rabbit.

Back to July & Back

 

First and only time I've gone to the cabin this year, due to employment, hospitals, and such.
The mountains are turning red now, and I'm wondering if I will be able to go up again before snow ruins everything, as it most of the time does.

This week has consisted of: surprise visits, yogurt, bagels, walking, developing artistry, poetry stubbornness, home-comings, contained thought, walking, walking, and stairs.

Hypervent

I've been having some serious hyperventilation sessions regarding my major.

Art is hard.
Photography is potentially harder.

I'm moving next week.

I'll be stranded & without a car.

I'm directionally and decisionally challenged. 

I'll be in a new place with new results generated from

New decisions.

Courses Regarding the Study of Light

Today I was going through the classes I am registered for

and the classes I will eventually be registered for in order to

Graduate.

I was relieved when I realized I've already taken

Photography I,

being a photography major, and all.

Because you can only handle so much 

photography

while majoring in photography(?).

But I noticed something. I have a lot of

photography 

classes on my plate. A lot.

And I thought,

"I can't take those classes.

Those classes aren't for me."

Even when the prerequisites

lined up just fine.

I just feel a little scared.

And guess what else.

There's gonna be a lot of photographing around here.

And I'm not sure

how I feel about that, just yet.

Lung

Ever feel like when you breathe in

the breath finally clears your lungs?