The Saga of Nero Closes

O! Hello Tribe...

I know there were a couple of people who really enjoyed some of my tales of Nero the tomato plant... I've just posted a final story and photograph of him at www.rufflesandridges.com for those who are interested.

I still come over and read stuff on Tribe... once or twice a week... if it is working... I just don't bother to post much here anymore. I don't trust the site, and I have about a billion other things distracting me. It's nothing personal... it's just Tribe.

=)

Are You Reading?

too lazy to cross post... but I've been posting at: www.rufflesandridges.com

eventually, I might even do a Dickens post... but this picture is just too awesome not to share.

that's MY BOY! Fascinated by the pretty girl in the window.... "but mommy, how does she get out of there?"

Feinting Friday

After 13 years of Renaissance Faire, and five years of Dickens Fair one would think I'd be used to corsets and bodices... one would think I would know my limits and how to eat and drink while wearing such a contraption.

Apparently... *shrug*... not so much.

want to read more?
www.rufflesandridges.com

oh yes.. a whole post about Dickens Fair...
and maybe next week, I'll tell you what my character name is....

Irony and FYI

... but not necessarily in that order....

FYI: I am reading... oh man am I reading.

I have been reading as many blogs as I can as often as I can. I don't usually get a chance to comment on everyone's stuff... but trust me, I am laughing, crying, dancing, celebrating, and hugging you all with every word. I am so thankful to be alive right now... to have the ability to spend an evening reading and catching up with all of my friends. Be it silly, poignant, topical, or none of the above... I love seeing your puppies, beards, countdown calendars, borked phones, and everything in between.

Also, I had a great, funny moment happen last weekend, and wrote a little post about it....
check it out at www.rufflesandridges.com =)

Confronted with Myself

I posted a couple of blogs at www.rufflesandridges.com

if you miss me, come read...
if not... then why the heck are you bothering to read THIS?
der.

miss me or not, hope to see you at Dickens!!

This weekend's champagne...

...brought to you by the letter "D" and the number 19.

Tuesday afternoon after work, I had a voice mail from my attorney. Simply, "call us when you get a chance"... I've been a bit busy, so I figured I'd call Wednesday. As Wednesday came and went, I totally forgot. Today, I glance down at my calendar, and see the number sitting there, so I called during my second period break.

Her (paralegal): "did you get it yet?"
Me: "I haven't received any mail from you..."
Her: "oh.. well the final judgement is in the mail, you should get it today or tomorrow."
Me: "well, thank you, but that is somewhat anticlimactic."
Her: "usually people are really excited."
Me: "don't get me wrong, it's just that I was expecting champagne & confetti."

Once I got off the phone I cried some tears of relief... after a year an a half (at least the legal part...), it is finally at an end. I am finally, "officially" divorced. And really, it's funny, as I sat there getting rid of a bit of emotional congestion, I thought, "nothing is technically different than it was yesterday... I don't plan to get married right now, so what does all this actually mean?"

It means I am finally, technically "free." One of the biggest differences between my life right now, and my life two years ago is that NOW I have someone I want to share things with. Someone I WANT to share everything with... then... it was someone I HAD to explain myself to.

I was driving to faire opening weekend, and thinking (as one will do during a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive), and realized: it is so nice to be driving toward something wonderful, versus driving away from something I want to escape. I've always loved faire, and I've always seen it as coming "home" after a year away... yet, it has always been an escape for me. Not anymore. Faire is a destination, it is driving TO a person and a place I love, versus AWAY from a life I hate.

A lot of you said, "I've seen the married Giddy at faire, I'm fully afraid of the Single Giddy at faire." I knew... from the first time I heard that sentiment, that you were wrong. Who you see now, is much closer to who I am... the person who is real inside of me. The Giddy I was before... well, she was the one avoiding and escaping reality, and she was a character. I'm still me, I'm still fun, I'm oh so much happier than I ever have been... I'm also more true to reality.

Come by Stromboli/Toad this weekend (I'm not on the counter this year, I'm in the kitchen, but ask for me), I'm bringing a bunch of champagne, I want to do a toast with each and every one of you. It's celebration champagne... meet Giddy... she has a boyfriend she loves dearly (and who is getting to toast with the "special" champagne), she wants you to meet a person who isn't uncomfortable with life anymore. Come meet someone who is fully happy with herself, and is well on the way to being the person I always knew was inside.

Here is to being happy with who you are,
comfortable in your own skin,
and finding others who love you for who you are...
no matter how goofy the person you are may be.
Cheers.

Day One... and then some

*picture is TehShortBus "helping" me get my classroom ready*

Really, I've been meaning to write about my first day since Monday (the actual first day), but honestly, I haven't had a second to even consider it. But, I decided I wasn't going to bring any work home this evening. I've worked (easily) 10 - 12 hour days every day for the last two weeks, I think it's time to take a minute for myself.

And, when I say "for myself" I mean: have a beer and write a blog after working an 11 hour day and spending ANOTHER $50 on supplies for my classroom.

When I finally fell into bed Sunday night (yes, I worked from home for a good 5 hours Sunday, and spent 5 hours on Saturday actually in my classroom...then another 2 working at home), I thought I was right on track. Coffee was prepped, alarm was set, I was showered, ShortBus was sleeping. Excellent. When I closed my eyes I figured I was as ready for Day One as I could possibly be, given the very short time I was provided.

Flash forward about 7 hours later... I wake up. It is quiet. Too quiet.
Alarm hasn't gone off yet.
But, something feels off.
Look at the clock... 6:15. 45 minutes AFTER I had set my alarm to go off. Damn!

I jump out of bed, focused on the ONE thing that is going to save me from going crazy... coffee. Into the kitchen to be greeted by the lovely aroma of fresh brewed coffee. In a now adrenaline infused foggy morning haze of "OMGOMGOMGOMG!" I go straight to the fridge for creamer, turn around and see a beautiful pot of coffee... all over the counter and floor. My persnickety coffee maker had decided it didn't like the way I put the filter in. REALLY?

So now I'm late, AND cleaning the kitchen.

After a QUICK shower, I decide I should wake Teh ShortBus, so he has a minute to wake up and eat a banana before I shove him off to school. But, he decides he doesn't want to get up. By the time we get to the car, he and I are both crying. Each for very different reasons.

I make it to school five minutes before the first bell.
Luckily, my first period class, at that point, was two students (now it's up to five). They were so freaked out at being the ONLY two students in the classroom, they didn't seem to notice how discombobulated I was.

Long story... um... well long... it has been a great week. Everyone I work with has been really supportive and helpful, my family and friends have been helpful and truly amazing, and I even got to spend a few minutes with CSB this week.

I am truly looking forward to tomorrow, and the end of my first week. I kinda feel like once I make it through this first week, it's all down hill from here. Plus, I think a bottle of celebration champagne is in order.

Hey Clare...Bag Porn!

So, apparently my mom came across this purse at a garage sale....

I looked it over pretty closely, and it seems to be real (though I'm shocked).
Its beautiful. Looks practically brand new.
And, its all mine!

Kinda cool that the school colors at my new school are red, black, and white. Yes, I haz teh skewl spirit... in style.

Friday Shoe Porn

I came across these shoes two days ago and fell in love.

My first thought was, "no, I'm not buying shoes because I don't have a ....oh... wait... I do have a job... not only do I have a job, but I have THE job." The one I anticipated, the career I've been working toward... yep, I haz it.


For more pictures of the shoes, and a rare shot of the ShortBus's shoes head on over to www.rufflesand ridges.com
and I might have said another couple of words... but really, it's all about the shoes. Isn't it?

One Week Later

I have been to meetings and workshops galore. I have been going non-stop. So much to do, and so little time.

My head is spinning with names and faces that I can't quite seem to match up. My desk is littered with business cards, all with the school district logo. I had to clear a shelf to pile up books, notebooks, folders, and paperwork.

The only things I know for sure:

***********************
Wanna know what I know?
www.rufflesandridges.com for the rest of the story...