Currently...

First of all, thank you for the overwhelmingly positive response to this idea. I'm really glad that you seem to like it as much as I do.

This week begins the start of a whirlwind month. We're beginning to countdown the days to school starting back up again, so it's starting to get crazy as we have realized that we are quickly running out of summer time.


Watching :

We don't have TV at our house. We disconnected our cable about 18 months ago and haven't really missed it much. We rely quite heavily on Netflix instead. I've noticed that this has substantially cut down on the amount of time that we spend in front of the TV, which I think is a pretty good thing.

That doesn't mean that we go completely without though. When Collin's working in the evenings and Darian is at his mom's, I've taken to rewatching Gilmore Girls episodes. I've already seen each one at least three times so they can easily run in the background while I'm doing other things, but it's been nice to watch them again.

After Collin gets home, we've been hanging out together in the den and watching Family Guy for a little bit while he eats dinner and winds down. It's been a nice way just to relax together for a bit each day.


Reading :

I'm finishing up the last of the books that have been hanging out in my nightstand for the last forever. I think I'm down to two beyond the one I'm currently reading.

Right now, I'm about half way through The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson. It's not a bad read, but it's moving a little slower than I would like. I'm hoping to have it finished by the weekend.


Listening :

I still haven't gotten speakers for my work computer. I really need to do that by the end of this week. I've found that it's terribly annoying not to be able to hear music while I work and it's even worse not to be able to watch YouTube videos on down time. (Sometimes being your own boss has it's perks...)

As far as radio listening goes, I'm apparently feeling a little nostalgic as I've taken quite the liking to Beck's new single, Dreams. It makes me feel like I'm back in college again. Ah...to be in my early twenties...

Learning :

It's midterm week for my summer courses. This is both good and bad. I'm glad that I'll be on the downhill slide of this semester because it's freaking killing me, but writing literary analyses on a time limit freaks me out. Timed tests and I don't get along very well.


Making :

Does it count that I put up the tent all by myself last week? That's making something, right? I also patched up a strap on one of my bras with the sewing machine. That's as fancy as it's gotten around here people. Pathetic, but true.

The good news is that a few weeks ago I did buy some fabric paint so that I can do some stenciled t-shirts soon. I have a few that Darian and I will be putting together for him over the next few weeks...so that will be something. I also have some baby gifts that really need to be made in the next month.


Thinking :

There's not a lot of magical thinking going on over here. Really I'm just trying to master Burke's Pentad and the Toulmin Model of literary analysis without completely frying my brain.


Feeling :

Can we go back and start summer all over again? I don't feel like I really got to enjoy it right. If I could have a do over I'd like to leave town (preferably to go somewhere where there is ocean) and I'd like us to go on a family trip to a National Park (that's been our tradition for the past few years). I would also like to get a tan. This last one is pretty far fetched since my pasty Irish skin only lets me be one of three colors/states: white, red, or peeling. I don't think I've had a decent tan in my life.


Wanting / Needing :

I'm getting pretty close to needing a haircut. Things are beginning to get a little shaggy. I've been holding off partly because I wanted to have it longer than it has been for the past few months (I'm aiming for shoulder length), but also because I would really like to dye it. I've been muddy dishwater blonde for enough time and it's been quite a while since I did anything fun with it.

I'm trying to decide what should happen in that department. I'd like to have something noticeable and fun, but I also need to keep it reasonable since I do have a rather professional job. Something tells me that bright turquoise hair wouldn't be a good idea. Of course, there was that one time I accidentally dyed it purple...


Loving :

Right now I am overwhelmingly in love with my new Keen Rivington Criss-Cross shoes. They are so incredibly comfortable. I got them as golf shoes and a replacement for the Northside slipons that I loved, but that the dog decided to use as a chew toy (there were tears...and screaming...). The Keen's cost substantially more than my extremely reasonably priced, but sadly no longer made Northsides, but they have a thicker and more durable sole, so I think they'll be worth it. 

Planning :

Like I said earlier, August promises to be crazy. Collin takes off in about a week for a business trip to Montana. He'll be back home for about three weeks and then he's off for Kansas. Two weeks ago he was in Nebraska. His schedule is nuts.

I have summer classes for the next three weeks and then a week off before starting my fall courseload (16 credits...I may be insane). Did I also mention that I'm working 4 days this week and 5 days next week instead of my usual three? Ugh...

Darian starts school three days before I do. Luckily, we have all of his school clothes shopping finished with the exception of shoes. He's grown two full shoe sizes since spring break. It's out of freaking control.

In between now and then, we also need to find time to get him across the state to stay with Carole (Collin's mom) for a week. They hang out together every summer. We're thinking he may go with Collin when he leaves for Montana and Collin will just drop him off along the way. Otherwise, I have no idea how we're going to find the time to transport him before it's too late.

While they're gone, I'll be having a sleepover with 4-year-old Miss A. She has now been 100% potty trained, including no pullups at night, and a sleepover with me was her reward. We're going to go to a petting zoo, she's going to have a fun bubble bath in the big tub, and we'll probably do some coloring and Disney movie watching. I've been told that she is terribly excited.

I think that's about it. I'm busting out my midterm exam this evening, so hopefully I'll be a little less discombobulated by the end of the week. I have a couple of book reviews that need to get written and posted so that I don't completely forget what I wanted to say. The plan is to have one of them up by mid-next week and the other within the following week. We'll see how that goes.

How's your week going?