It's been a rough week for me. Homecoming. I wish I could just say that word and the Earth would bow its head in reverence of how completely exhausting the days of breathing paint fumes, checking butts for glitter, rehearsing cheesy skits, and creating strategies for winning competitions can be. This has been a most challenging Homecoming for me. I have a class filled some very smart, talented kids who think they know everything. Yes, I know this is a common trait with teenagers, but this group has cornered the market on this one. Each one knows exactly what is the best idea and unabashedly criticizes all other ideas. Then they openly fight about it. It's like watching a dog fight as the verbal claws come out and they strike each other, waiting until the other parties finally give up out of desperation. On top of this, my favorite group from last year has turned into one of the most obnoxious groups I have ever seen. (As I type this, I remember that they told me they were g

I spent some time with my dear friend, Kaitlyn, yesterday as she chopped and glossed and shaped my hair into the glorious being that it is today. We have such a great time together, and I always leave those appointments wondering why I wait so long between cuts. As we caught up on the latest developments in our lives, I shared with her my not-so-adventurous adventures in New England this summer. She pointed out how much I love traveling alone, and she's so right. I. Love. Being. Alone. It's such a glorious feeling. Today, after I ran a few much needed errands, I stopped at Pollo Tropical for lunch. Inside. Alone. I ordered my rice and beans bowl from the kid's menu and searched for a table in the very busy restaurant. I sat at a two-top between two different pairs of diners and dipped into my bowl of Latin-flavored beans and rice. That was bliss. As I ate and watched the other diners and eavesdropped on their conversations, I was taken back to that little place in