Because not much is going on in November

I think I'm going to try this: NaBloPoMo

Don't know how well I'll do but I'm going to try it. I debated only doing it unofficially because I kinda like my cozy half-dozen readers and I didn't know if I wanted to put it out there to the world. But it mostly is out there to the world just by process of being on the Internet and there's nothing to hide here (and not much to see honestly).

Looking at my index, I only average about 1 post every three days (that is posted--I think I write a bit more than that). That means that for 30 days (thankfully it's only 30 days, not one of those pesky 31 day months), there will be a lot of posts on my little blog. I don't know how substantive they will be most days but I'm going to try it. I'm warning you that there may be days when you read what I had for lunch (and that won't be that interesting because I normally just eat a sandwich and apple and see, now I've ruined the surprise). But I really want to see if I can stay dedicated to this and write every day for a month.

If I'm really going to tackle this, I decided I should create a list of possible topics. I don't think I'm dedicated enough to follow through with one topic for one month and I really don't care to get into political/religious/personal beliefs because that's not what this place is about (although I'm really not sure what this place is about) and I don't want to start an argument on my own blog. So a list of possible topics that I will be writing about for the next month (perhaps on these days of the month):

1. Me
2. Paul
3. Jubjub
4. life in Albuquerque
5. books I'm reading
6. remodeling/new kitchen countertops
7. the dance lessons Paul and I are still attempting
8. MY BIRTHDAY!
9. My OTHER birthday!
10. volunteer stuff
11. um, day 11 and I'm running low
12. librarian stuff
13. assorted pictures
14. more about me (hey, it's my blog--I could write about myself daily and no one can say a word)
15. some witty, funny story
16. maybe another witty, funny story
17.Oh, my annual Christmas wish list!
18. favorite recipes?
19. more books?
20. the horrors/mishaps of traveling on a holiday
21. a report from Bay City
22. Thanksgiving with the family
23. more Thanksgiving with the family
24. yes, we'll still be with the family
25. how we survived the family
26. family pictures from Thanksgiving
27. the Christmas tree may be up by now
28. how I've resorted to staring at the keyboard with nothing to write about
29. Book Fair/work stuff
30. Whew!

Maybe I won't feel so bad when I kill them since they were "free"

Yesterday was Make a Difference Day and in the spirit of the day, about a dozen in the Junior League volunteered to help the ABQ Rose Society mulch the rose beds for the fall (there were other JLA groups doing other do-gooder stuff as well). It was a beautiful morning and what better way to a Saturday morning shoveling dirt and pushing wheelbarrows. Not that I do this at my own house on any given Saturday morning--perhaps if I had 10 other women lending a hand. . . .

I didn't realize how large the ABQ Rose Garden is--I think it's size is deceptive as it surrounds one of the public libraries in town. At least, I now know it is deceptive since I've spread mulch in about half the beds and realize how large the garden actually is. But we braved thorns and rose bushes that wanted to hurt us to do our good deed for the day. We worked for about three hours--in addition to the Rose Society and JLA, there was a group from the city so the work went fairly quickly. Here I am taking a break with my friend Devlyn (who hates having her picture taken--I had to strong-arm her into this one):

When we finished, the head person of the Rose Society mentioned she had extra rose bushes that were free for the taking. So I took two of these. I don't know why I took two. I'm mostly good at killing things and we don't have room in the yard for one rose bush, much less two rose bushes. But several members of the Rose Society told me that these should do fine in a planter on the patio and what I needed to do to keep them alive and so hopefully I'll be able to do so. If nothing else, my in-laws' neighbor Mrs. Green is a member of the Rose Society and perhaps willing to give free advice to a rose novice. Because that might be the only thing I get for free after taking these. (So far, my "free" rose bushes have cost me over $50 for two large planters. It's like my "free" cat I got 10 years ago.)

Filling in a blue funk

I'm in a bit of a blue funk right now--still not feeling 100%, tired of the multitude of meetings at work, tired of work, etc., etc. It's nothing big--just a bunch of little things compounded by the fact that I'm not sleeping well because I don't feel well. I've debated taking a mental health day but between meetings I should be attending at work and professional development days when I won't be in school at least one day a week between now and Nov. 9, I don't feel like I should take the time to myself. :::sigh::: So, instead I'm going to wallow here for a bit.

We had a meeting today of the monthly professional development group that I facilitate. The principal has asked that I call to report who isn't in attendance at the meeting so the people who should be at a professional development day actually are or are charged appropriately for the time. When I called to say that one of the people wasn't at the meeting, the secretary asked me about coworker #1 (from last week) because the principal had overheard #1 saying she wouldn't be at the meeting in the morning. She wasn't at the meeting at that time and when asked if I knew why, I told the secretary I'd heard #1 had a doctor's appointment. I offered no other explanation but yet, I still find myself second-guessing my actions. I don't want to cause #1 any more hurt but there are expectations in my position as group leader. Which would include reporting staff absences from this meeting time. I didn't spill any beans but I'm still feeling crummy about the possiblity of it. Or maybe I'm just feeling crummy.

I'm also questioning my ability to lead this group. Maybe I'm really stepping too far outside of my comfort zone to do this. Or maybe it's not my comfort zone--it's more my ability zone. I don't know if I have the right temperament or personality to continue to do this. I sometimes feel like my ass is just flapping in the wind out there. I don't think I've communicated with the group what my expectations of the members are--what, exactly, it is that they should be doing as group members. And that really is my fault because as the group leader, I should have done that. But this can't be a successful group without the active participation of each member. It isn't possible to be passive and be in this group but too many just seem to be hanging out, taking it all in. We had a really good day today--I just don't know if it's what I should be doing. I just don't think I command (or demand) the respect that is necessary in a position like this.

But while I figure that all out, here are a few more favorites from Amy and her family's visit last weekend. Abigail had the camera in the car on the way home from the balloons. Those are her feet, a picture of the sky, and her positioning of her bear in front of the balloons Abigail and Benjamin got at the Balloon Fiesta from one of the booths. I think she has a future in photography. If nothing else, she's probably already met/surpassed my own skills as a photographer.


Last year at Christmas, much to Abigail's delight, "Silly Uncle Paul" went down the stairs. ON HIS BOTTOM. It was, apparently, the craziest thing Abigail had seen up to that point in her life. Now, Uncle Paul is still expected to ALWAYS go down the stairs on his bottom. Again and again and again. (And while he wasn't thrilled about repeatedly going up and down the stairs with the kids, I love this picture of them.)
Watching pizzas be made at Dion's. Abigail was very impressed that they throw the dough up in the air.
Benjamin plays with the building planks at Explora! Children's Museum.
I know this contraption has a name beyond the "air tube thingy blowing up balls thingy" but I can't think of it.
More in the air/wind portion of Explora. There were pegs that went into holes and air was blowing up through them and the air-pressure increased. Um, yeah. Abigail wasn't that interested either. She did enjoy using the magnet to pull out the metal pegs.
Well, if he wasn't going to sleep in his bed (which he wasn't doing), this would work too.
See how Jub is favoring his left paw? That's the limping paw. He'll start to favor it and limp when he feels like he's been mistreated, embarrassed, etc. He limped quite a bit during the Balloon Fiesta week.

The Annual Posting of Balloon Pictures

The first Balloon Fiesta I attended was in October 1997. Paul still makes fun of me because I thought I'd be super-cool and wouldn't need much film for my camera (this being before digital cameras). I had a dozen or so pictures left on a roll--that would be plenty. I ended up buying two more rolls of film that morning.

I still enjoy going to see the balloons and get almost as excited each year. It's a rare year that we don't make it down to the field at least one morning. We even debated going to the balloons on the Monday morning before we left for our honeymoon in 1999 (that being one of the rare years we missed). I think the other one or two times we haven't gone is because we didn't have visitors. But please, if you'd like to come book early because Casa Bookworm isn't very big but apparently (at least this year), it's very popular.

I do insist on rallying the troops to leave the house by 5:30--5:45 at the absolute latest. Otherwise, you get stuck in traffic or get stuck out in one of the way-out parking lots. I never understand people who think they can leave the house 15 minutes before the 7:00 start--at that point, you might as well stay home because you'll watch most of the mass ascension from your car in traffic. Of course, one year my parents, Paul, and I took it to the other extreme and left the house at 4:30. Doesn't take long to make it down to the field at that time of day and we actually got there well before the ticket booth opened at 5:00. But we had primo parking. (And yes, all those times are A.M.)

This year, Amy, her family, and I went to Friday Special Shapes Mass Ascension which is followed by one of the key grab races. It's definitely one of my favorite days to attend and the weather was perfect.

Benjamin and Abigail bundled up to watch the early morning glow of the Dawn Patrol.
The sun comes up and so do the balloons. Just a sampling of the Special Shapes--I'd not seen the green guy before and the Beer Stein was new last year (one of the off-years for us so this was the first I'd seen it).
The Scarecrow and Angel balloons make a stand as they are inflated.
"Luke, I am your hot-air balloon." Darth Vader was the new balloon this year, coming in from Belgium. Stormtroopers made up the chase crew.
The popular Bumble Bees that take off holding hands and give a little kiss in the air. Abigail was disappointed that they separated in the air.

Benjamin needed a better view but his white-knuckle death grip on his dad's head didn't allow David much of a chance to see balloons.
Angels we have heard on high....

She was actually enjoying herself but definitely would have enjoyed, say, a 9 o'clock start time a lot more.
Never thought I'd actually get to see a shuttle launch. (Ha!)
The Key Grab Competition gets underway. The balloons launch from a field to the north and then come over a small rise. Three of the five keys were grabbed by different pilots. The balloons keep coming.
Amy, Abigail, David, and Benjamin
The final balloon stragglers. By this time, we'd headed off in search of mini-cinnamon rolls and more hot chocolate.
To kill a little time while the parking lot emptied, we wandered around some of the booths at the balloon field. Benjamin modeled one of the hats and looks smashing while doing it.

Then we headed back home for much needed naps, another thing I insist on rallying the troops to do. Unfortunately, the wind picked up in the afternoon so the Glowdeo that evening was cancelled. We talked about going to another mass ascension but, as fabulous as the balloons are, there is something about those early mornings that is a bit of a deterrent.

Long Live the Matadors

I finally had a chance to upload all the pictures we took last week. This first round is from our visit to Amarillo and Tech Homecoming. I could get sentimental about how this year marks 10 years removed from my college graduation. How I never expected this to be the life I had but how I wouldn't trade it for the world. How I'm so lucky to be with the same man I was with 10 years ago and to be even more in love with him today. How I loved my time in college but I wouldn't go back to being the terribly insecure 22-year-old of 10 years ago. How I'm so blessed and fortunate and grateful for all that I've experienced in the past 10 years.

Or I can just post this picture:

I think that pretty much sums it all up. Holy cow, I love that man.

Before we left for Lubbock, we spent a few hours with Amy and her family. Abigail, who I think is rather fond of her Uncle Paul, and Paul, who won't admit how fond he is of Abigail, spent most of that time playing and taking pictures. The above picture is courtesy of Abigail--she and Paul were making funny/scary faces at each other. Paul got to make lots of funny/scary faces last week as it seems all the littler visitors got a tremendous kick out of doing this with him.

I got one picture in before the camera was commandeered by the other two. We took Benjamin's birthday present with us. He pulled out some tissue paper and then was totally disinterested. But I can't blame him too much--we are the clothes-and-books aunt and uncle.
Abigail with her My Little Pony balloon. I'm sure there will be plenty of these when she turns 5 in February because she is having a My Little Pony Party. We know this because she's been planning it since shortly after she turned 4.
Abigail thought we needed a picture of me, Benjamin, and the Elmo balloon from his birthday party.
Abigail's mama as photographed by Abigail.
E-L-M-O. It sings. It dances. It's more than a little frightening to me. Paul wanted to take it apart to see the electronics inside it. (Photo by Abs)
Benjamin showing us "teeth." Careful or he will put your eye out in the exuberance to show you "eye."
Uncle Paul shows us "teeth." (Yes, Abigail took this picture too. I'm bad about framing but not quite this bad.)
Abigail's funny/scary face for Uncle Paul.
This is Abigail getting arty with her photography--this is taken inside the cardboard box Abs and Benjamin use as a garage for their Cars cars.
Just exhausted from the whole of it--it was past nap time for both of them.
And then we were off to Lubbock for the football game. Snapping a few pictures on the way from our "usual" (by the Tech Theater across from Wall Hall, dorm sweet dorm for Amy in 94-95). This is the Texas Tech Main Library. We know--it looks like a large radiator.
The fountains at Memorial Circle. These weren't there 10 years ago but I like this improvement.
The ubiquitous Double T, this one at Jones AT&T Stadium (or just Jones Stadium as it was known back in the day--the day before corporate sponsorship on everything, that is).
The South Plains of Texas. Yes, it really is that flat. We were just glad the skies weren't the lovely shade of brown it turns when it gets windy in Lubbock.
See the "C" up there in Tech? Our seats were one row below that--52 rows up (after the flight of stairs to get to the second level). We definitely had the bird's-eye view of the football game.
Double T on Midnight Matador.
And, of course, The Going Band from Raiderland at halftime.

So there it is--Homecoming 2007. 10 years after my college graduation. Tech won, which they probably didn't do 10 years ago. And we got to sit on the "grown-up" side of the stadium rather than claiming our six inches in the student section. That, and all this. Life is definitely good for this alum.

Tomorrow: Balloons!