Going Back to School?

I love the Fall a little more than I knew, and even though it's still Summer, the idea of going back to school is compelling and exciting, so full of possibility. "If I knew your name and address, I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils." Ah, Tom Hanks.

It has taken a while to get another post out - but the new school year just started and I've been finishing the task of designing the new class I'm teaching this semester. Argument and Research, with a special focus on civil rights. Can you remember what you felt strongly about as a college undergrad? If not, maybe that's because you didn't have many passions; this is what I'm discovering pretty quickly about my students. I don't mind that they are hyper-social beings that go out at night and on the weekends, and I don't even mind that this is their top priority most of the time. I just wish they read more news on-line, or cared about the right to vote they are ignoring. I hope 16 weeks is enough time to get the gears turning and have them realize how many rights they have that they've been wasting. Ah, so young, so carefree.

I thought this would be a great blog to list the things that make me happy, those little every day moments that make me smile and carefree after getting in from work:
-warm weather with a breeze, or low humidity. I love feeling warm but think sweating on my way to work is a bit TOO warm

-My porch garden. Ah, life in little pots, the smell of fresh basil when I turn my key in the door. I have a sweet pepper plant that looks more like a tree :-D Plus, the Piggies like it too, here's Lacey snacking away on my cilantro and parsley. -~->

-Clean House - Best show ever, if I do say so myself. Who doesn't love seeing other people's junk, or getting motivated to become a minimalist? Plus, Niecy Nash is worth tuning in for ;) I always wonder if they keep their homes looking so beautiful after the "team" leaves - they go back occasionally and I've never been too let down. If you check out the website you'll learn Matt and Trish are merely comedians there for a little relief. Interesting...
http://www.mystyle.com/mystyle/shows/cleanhouse/index.jsp

-Alphabetized bookshelves

-Fresh laundry, dusted counter tops, and a recently vacuumed living room...

-I relocated the piggies to the linoleum in front of the front door (I use the side door to enter and leave, my apartment is a weird shape). This makes my bedroom look HUGE! They were at the end of my bed, but I think this will work much better since it was an unused space, and now I can't hear them at night, drinking their water and rumble-strutting. They need plenty of room to move around, but so do I, haha. (Couldn't post about the pigs without showing you a shot of Betsy, she's the friendliest of the bunch. This one's from the garden day as well.)



Now I'm off to get some reading done for my classes, I'd hate to get behind this early. Hope you're having a great Fall!