I'm playing d.j. tonight. My two colleagues have been teaching clothing terms to our students who have recently arrived in the country, and one of their culminating projects is a fashion show in which the students could choose to either model or read and then had to work together to write a description of the clothing. Needless to say, this has been a fun project for high school students. My part is the music. I am not a discoverer of great music (I'm loving Ray LaMontagne, Christy), nor do I claim to be a musicphile (I think I made up that word) or historian. However, I do know what I like and have a rather extensive collection of what I like. House/Techno music just happens to fit that category, and I think it's a good match for a fashion show. So in between trips to change the laundry and get tomorrow's lunch together I'm listening to some old (read 90's...when did my music become retro?) techno dance music. My big chore right now is making sure I don't c...

As you now, we sold our house last summer to some family friends. We, of course, were thrilled to be able to sell and relieve our one-income budget. They loved the place and the school district. It seemed like a perfect fit. We loved that house and the neighborhood, and we felt sure that they would too. But the neighbors have been royal pains. Last night I heard about the headaches they were causing our friends. So far the neighbors have cost them thousands of dollars, one of their dogs, and their peace of mind. I just don't understand why someone would be that hateful. That's what it all comes down to. What is it that pushes someone to go out of their way and spend all their extra time actively seeking to cause problems for someone? I. Just. Don't. Get. It. I'm angry. No, I'm pissed about the whole thing. For one thing, I feel partially responsible. We assured these people that our neighbors were wonderful people who were always friendly and who looked out for me w...

I'm really trying to follow through with this whole "growing a farm" thing. This week a dear friend of mine gave me 21 tomato plants to take home. Most of them already have tomatoes growing! I brought them home and planted all of them. Some are in pots, and some are in a not-so-tidy row of land I cleared by hand. Add these to the two tomato plants I already have, and I have 23 tomato plants. That means a whole lotta canning at some point in my future. Feeling inspired by my gardening, I bought a small tabletop greenhouse. I still have a stack of seeds ready to sprout. I had some great success with the last set until I move the sprouted plants outside. Only one survived, and I have no earthly idea what kind of plant it is. I never thought I'd reach the point of my life when gardening is fun. But it is. And the more I learn about commercial farming (especially outside of the U.S.) the more determined I am to grow my own fruits and vegetables. In fact, if we really knew ...

When we were teenagers, my sister and I were addicted to YM Magazine. Our favorite section was the "most embarrassing" moment page where teens from across the country shared horror stories about being caught making out with their boyfriends or getting a very public monthly surprise. In that spirit, I bring you the following tale. My dear friend, Nadia, and I decided to go to the beach last Saturday. Going to the beach with me is quite an experience, and you must either really love the beach or me to put up with the process. I'm terrified of sunburns (and suntans) to such a degree that I layer an un-godly SPF sunscreen all over my body, insist on laying under an umbrella, and usually cover up with an over-sized beach towel. My umbrella was damaged, and I needed a new one, so we stopped at Costco where Nadia had seen one at a great price. I needed to make a pit stop in the restroom. It was just my luck that I chose a stall with a lock that unlatched every time someone close...