Just Lately, & Things

I don't mean to sound arrogant when I say that I really love my blog.

I was trying to find a picture just now and so I sifted through old blog posts and it made me feel really, really content, just reading through my past brain.

It also made me feel a little sad that I haven't updated my blog as faithfully as I used to. Did you know that to this day I haven't written a single thing about My Love (AKA my husband)? It really is tragic, but I think it's mostly because it's all so perfect in my mind and I don't want to dilute reality trying to explain it.

Everything is distracting, so I don't write any of it down. Teaching has given me grey hairs (figuratively, thankfully). I'm almost 25 which is the most bizarre feeling because, no, you don't just stop growing up and go back in time to high school. Unless you're a high school teacher like me. I have really vivid daydreams (and real dreams) about being a fashion designer on Project Runway.

Other than all that, I get home and veg on the couch. Days are mentally draining. The apartment falls apart. Dishes pile up. Clothes don't make it back to the hangers. Sometimes we daydream about buying a house. Sometimes I wonder how it will be trying to keep an entire house clean, rather than a tiny apartment.

Sometimes I try to design clothes on the backs of school papers.

 

Let Me Show You How Instant Headaches Work

Here is an update about today:

I wanted to show my classes how to make a photo blog. So I went through the process, screenshot each step, drew arrows, labeled each step... basically everything. There was no way any student would have any problems doing this. It was flawless.

When I was almost finished, another teacher came in and talked to me. Then I got back to work. And by "back to work" I mean I exited Powerpoint accidentally without saving. AND IT DIDN'T EVEN WARN ME THAT I HADN'T SAVED.

So the hour+ of work during my prep period was repeated within 15 minutes.

Then the class got started on making photo blogs.



And guess what. I found out today that Blogger is blocked on student computers.

"Untitled" "Mrs. Ramsey" -Anonymous

How To Dress Well: Part 1

Yesterday we were bringing in groceries and I was thinking about my dream job - a fashion designer. I was just imagining about how fabulous it would be if I could ever be something like that. 

Then today I was scrolling through my What I'd Wear Pinterest board and I kept interrupting my husband's game to show him pretty clothes & to tell him how happy I'd be with anything on the board. 

Then I thought about how expensive everything on my board is, individually.

Then I thought about how I am a bargain shopper (penny-pincher, really) and how I have relatively good taste and good judgement in clothing.

Then I thought about how probably the entire world would be eternally grateful for my fashion opinions.

Then I thought about how that isn't true, but it might be fun to put together a fashion blog post, regardless.

 So. This first part is a compilation of 4 things I love on Pinterest, pricing included:

a. MADWELL · $148 

b. STEVEN ALAN · $75

c. J.CREW · $90

d. NORDSTROM · $60

total: $373

And here are some alternatives that would be equally as French chic (because what else would you call grey stripes and black pants?) but significantly less expensive...

a. TARGET tee · $20

b. FOREVER21 tee · $13

a. H&M pants · $15

b. OLD NAVY pants · $25

a. FOREVER21 bag · $25

b. H&M bag · $17

a. FOREVER21 sandals · $18

b. TARGET sandals · $27

c. H&M sandals · $30

And, if you're interested in spectacular jewelry for equally spectacular prices, these all would be adorable with the above outfit:

a. FOREVER21 origami necklace · $3

b. TARGET pink belt · $13

c. FOREVER21 bike watch· $18

d. FOREVER21 fork ring · $5

e. FOREVER21 green ring · $3

f. FOREVER21 gold cuff · $6

accessory total: $48

So, if you average the alternatives, you'd have the following total, roughly:

tee: $17

pants: $20

bag: $21

sandals: $25

total: $83 

Is there anything you like better than the Pinterest pieces (besides the prices)?

Real Life: Today

Student: My dog ate Kara's art supplies.

* * * *

Me, to the entire class: Less than half of you turned in the last assignment. Can you give me feedback on why that is? Was the assignment unclear? Were the instructions unclear? What's going on?

Boy, who has done 0% of the work this semester/has participated 0%: You have lazy students.

 * * * *

[Student makes a virtual taco on a computer game]

* * * *

Me: Fill out your index card and turn it in up *here* on this blue chair. [draws arrow on whiteboard pointing directly to blue chair]

Student: Do I turn this in to you or do I put it in the basket?

Reasons I Love Him

Reasons I Love Him #114

"I have never hit snooze in my life."

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?