Thing #45: Organization

I am not obsessive, compulsive, or otherwise mentally unstable. However, I am a bit...over-zealous in my organizational pursuits. I have to say, I am not always so stellar at keeping the organization up, but I am great at getting it started. There are currently two things that are keeping me afloat on organization good vibes: 1) my new office shelves complete with baskets and 2) my gradebooks for the upcoming year.

Let's start with the office. Before assembling and organizing my new shelves, I had piles. Piles are no one's friend. They can be seen by all, and they quickly dissolve into greater chaos. After all, what lies at the bottom of a pile is anyone's guess. The piles were haphazard and mostly just annoying and unsightly. Flash forward to the new shelves. They are neatly filled with the books formerly piled next to my other (full) bookshelf as well as delightful baskets. In these baskets, I am able to tuck away the unsightly messes that were my craft and wedding piles. I also have a new basket for the stationary and one for my paint. How perfect! Furthermore, this new organizational tool gave me an opportunity to de-clutter my desk and display more photos. Win.

The gradebooks are another beast all together. Office supply love is nothing new, so it comes as no shock that I adore the neat edges of a fresh binder filled with clean page protectors and new dividers. This year's binders are even fabulously color coordinated. A bright pink binder houses A-Day materials, and within its covers are delicious sections identified with pink paper. A purple binder contains all pertinent B-Day materials with likewise fantastic purple inserts. It is good to know the bones of classroom organization are in place; without a well-organized gradebook, sh** falls apart, if you know what I mean.

I breathe calmly with all of this happily organized junk. I will maintain this delusion of organization...and not open the desk drawer.

Thing #44: Early Bed Times

I am admittedly a night person. I would much rather stay up late, watch trashy TV, catch the news, and continue to stay awake through more terrible TV or a good book. I like stars and fireworks and late night strolls. I also love to sleep in, generally far past the wake-up hour for real life.

Unfortunately, the real world does not afford me an opportunity to indulge in waking up late every morning (5:30AM, anyone?), so I must readjust my schedule. Often, I putter around until it's late enough that there is no hope for a good night's rest. However, after those rare nights when I manage to climb into bed early and fall into a deep sleep, I wake up refreshed.

So, while an early bed time may not always be desirable, in a world that requires 5:30 alarms, it is certainly something to be happy to enjoy. And tonight, I am off to a sound - and early - slumber.

Thing #43: School Supplies

I find myself in a beginning-of-the-year funk, unlike any I have ever experienced. I simply lack the momentum to begin enthusiastically planning the minutia of school life, from calendars to lessons to bulletin boards. However, I am finding myself excited about one crucial element that gives me hope that the rest will follow. This element? School supplies.

I have mentioned my deep love for school supplies and order in previous entries (let's take a moment to recall the entry devoted to mechanical pencils and the inaugural post about PowerPoint 2007). Still, I have not fully divulged the deeply troubling depths of my interest in school supplies. Let me tell a story.

In 1995, my family moved from rural Nebraska to metropolitan Virginia (ok, not quite accurate on either adjective, but let's continue). When we arrived in Virginia, I had the great privilege of having room for and having been deemed old enough for my OWN desk. Said desk was purchased from Wal-Mart, assembled, and delightfully organized by yours truly. I loved that thing, and I poured over Office Max catalogs, contemplating my next office supply purchase. My brother and I, in fact, begged to visit Office Max so frequently, we were informed it could only be referred to as "OM," and NOT.TO.ASK.ANY.MORE. We still asked. And I still love school supplies as much today as I did then. (Cough. nerd. cough.) Alas, I have my ruler from first grade sitting beside me now, a testament to my obsessive hoarding of all things that belong in a desk.

This year is no different. I have new Sharpies (their own entry, right there), new pens, new paper, new binders, and delightfully organized grade notebooks. Let's not forget the new planner that has been filled in and the lovely little notebooks that my mom gave me yesterday. Ah, colored pens and binders and coordinating colors of handouts...

Yes, this year will improve. If only because I can use school supplies well.

Thing #42: Sushi

Until about 2 months ago, I was an avowed sushi hater. All I could think was, "Raw fish and seaweed? Double ick." I decided to give it another go at dinner with friends, and shock of all shocks, I like it. I even like the sushi with shrimp, white fish, AND salmon. That's right folks, BIG steps here. We're talking moon leaps for seafood, sushi hating Katie. But under those slimy pieces of fish wrapped in seaweed and ride, it's just delightful, really. So many flavors are there in one bite, and it's acceptable to stuff your face with all of them at once. Not to mention the silent joy I get out of being able to FINALLY use my chopsticks with something akin to skill and, dare I say it, grace. I have to say I'm shocked that this has entered my "things to be happy about" countdown, but because it's a bit out there, I decided to include it.

Especially since my belly is full of California roll and a delightful concoction called the "honey honey roll." Mmmm.

Thing #41: Coffee

I have NO idea how I managed to have a list with things to be happy about and NOT list coffee. This is sad, and it must be remedied (as must my month+ long absence. Tsk tsk, Katie).

So here's the deal: it's summer (wow! big, earth-shattering news right there), and I've become world-class lazy. I wake up somewhere from 9:30 to 10:30, proceed to find some food and sit around some more. In this laziness, I have failed to make my requisite morning cup of joe. Instead, I languish in a state of near confusion until a headache or exhaustion forces me to caffeinate myself. Yesterday, I did this at 3 PM with a cup of Starbucks coffee from my coffee maker. And I realized, I need to do this more often and earlier in the day, because I. Love. Coffee.

From the smell of the grounds to the noise of the percolating deliciousness to the warm comfort as it slides down my throat, I love it all. The best part of waking up, you know, is coffee after all. Shame on me for forgetting early childhood indoctrination. Shame.

Thing #40: Wedding Dresses

No, I don't have "the" dress picked out. However, I did have a fabulous time trying 6 or 7 of them on this Saturday. There were several that were definitely out - one was just too low (yikes!) and the other weighed about 10 pounds. There was one contender... but I'll leave that out of the blog for privacy's sake.

But here's what's really fun - wedding dresses are awesome to look at, to feel, and to put on. It's okay to be that little girl inside that loves to dress up. There are the sparkles, the flowers, the lace, and the taffeta are all pretty fabulous.

Even better? I get to wear one :-)

Thing #39: Mechanical Pencils

I LOVE office supplies. I am a fan of pens, pencils, and all organizational tools, especially if they come in some array of bright colors.

Today, I have been using an old school pencil that requires a pencil sharpener, and I now realize that I am spoiled by mechanical pencils. The point on this pencil simply becomes dull too quickly. With a mechanical pencil, I am able to write continuously with the mere click of the erasered end. The writing remains uniformly narrow and is legible even after 30 minutes of pencil use. I could never understand why they were not allowed in parts of elementary school and middle school. The no-sharpener-required pencil should be the glimmer of hope in any younger-grade teacher's life (and I have heard this is true from one, not so stingy, 4th grade teacher).

So. There you have it. Mechanical pencils are where it's at, and while old school pencils that require a sharpener may have a certain charm, they are nowhere near the caliber of writing utensil that one finds in the Bic 7mm pencil.


Also, Drew, I will try to write less about the beach and the sun. I think it's the Vitamin D that makes me so "happy" about them...