1. What are you currently juggling in your life? 

A lot! The end of the school year (plus little ceremonies for two of mine leaving 5th and 8th, respectively) and transition into camps for them, getting new jobs (that’s the big one), trying to leave this one, and then still find happiness and peace in my life.

2. How often do you buy new clothes? What was the last piece of clothing you purchased? 

Not that often, really. I haven’t purchased anything for me lately, it’s usually for the kids. I guess I did buy a tank top for our August beer fest theme. It’s got a skull and rose on it, since we’re going to dress as rock stars.

3. What food festival would you most like to attend? If you need help here are links to some of the bigger and more popular food events around the world-

Funny; one of those lists has Oktoberfest on there and we are going next year! I definitely am going more for the beer but you better believe we’ll eat our fair share of sausages and pretzels.

4. May is the 5th month of the year. Tell us something you remember about your 5th grade year. 

I kind of like this question. There’s a lot of things I remember about fifth grade year: being the second smartest kid in my class, only to Michael Cruz, who aced everything but was lazy (and would eventually drop out); calling a kid named Andy on the phone; field day and my friend Melissa trying to help me create bangs out of my curly hair and it just looked awful; Mrs. Hackman, the awful teacher I had; being in a portable classroom all the way out at the far end of a field; winning an award for a creative essay I wrote about all the ways I did and did not like myself.

5. What are your favorite five words right now? 

It’s more of a phrase: “Be here in this moment.”

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Well, God certainly has provided. I now have two fall adjuncting positions lining up. I have been in contact with both and we’re moving forward with paperwork processing, etc. The one here, TCC, I am just being reinstated. I was working there from 2019 on and had to leave when I got this full time position. But guess who’s back?? Also, it is apparent that the thing I am good at is teaching college composition. I should just accept it. The other school will be online only and so long as they can throw me two sections a semester, I’ll work for them for as long as they’d like. Now, the one x-factor here is I have applied for other jobs that pay better and would be my one sole job (well, I’d probably keep some online teaching) so those could come to fruition any time this summer. I even have an interview next Wednesday for one of those.

So yes, as this has all been materializing, I have really been focusing on being in the present moment more; stop thinking about all the ways I failed at this job and stop worrying about things in the future that may or may not happen. It’s a waste of brain space and adds stress my body doesn’t need. It’s hard though, to quiet all my thoughts. All the what-ifs creep in constantly and I have to keep them at bay. Tuesday night was nice though: Ash and I met after work for Mexican and then we watched Bloodsport and Kickboxer. We love those movies and there’s nothing like reminiscing on the 80s to put your mind in a happy space.

Monday night was also nice: my cousin and his wife were coming back through town after going to their youngest daughter’s graduation in Baton Rouge. We had planned to have a drink and just catch up and that is what we did. It was a great time! Since we reconnected with them two years ago, we find that we always laugh a lot. They tell us what sorts of things their kids are up to (ages 21-26) and we laugh about my side of the family that Alan and I share. Danielle and my husband joke about marrying into our crazy. It’s always fun and I am glad we did it, even if it meant going out to drink on a Monday; lol. I look exceedingly fat in that picture for some reason – maybe it’s the pink shirt? Anyway, we had fun and that’s what matters.