Frazzled

Little mermommy rant here: the elementary school where Kicky goes (and where Esmee will go in a couple of years) is proposing a huge renovation. Wonderful! But during the construction phase...which will last over a year, starting when both of the girls are there...they are possibly going to relocate the students beyond the Beltway (for those of you outside DC, this probably means little to you, but to me it's RIDICULOUS) to northern Bethesda...which is an hour and a half bus ride for them or an hour each way commute for me. Jiminy crickets. Parents are talking about pulling their kids from the school. Part of the reason why we live where we do rather than in the city is because of the school. ARGH. Anyway, I've got my PTA hat on now, jamming up the old listserv with my bitching and moaning.

So, on that note, way too much going on here...between getting my photo show ready and teaching and trying to raise these crazy children, I am left with little time, energy, or general gumption. I'm mustering up some tonight though to go hear Edwidge Danticat read from her new memoir at Politics and Prose. I have only read Breath, Eyes, Memory...which I loved. I'm meeting a friend there early on to catch up and browse...maybe treat myself to a new photo magazine.

The panel discussion at The Roundhouse went nicely, and the show (A Lesson Before Dying) was really incredible.

Calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean...

Everything's Coming Up...

ROSES. My, my, my have I had a fantastic week. First, I got a two book offer for Two Rivers and the next novel. (You all know how long I've been waiting for this :) But also, a curator at a southern art museum contacted me about submitting a proposal for a possible photo exhibition. I feel like I've been at such a standstill for so long...I hardly know what to do with myself! Pinch, pinch.

This week is going to be busy...teaching and the usual ballet, gymnastics, grading etc... and on Thursday night I'm speaking on a panel at The Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda about the adaptation of A Lesson Before Dying. It should be a fascinating discussion. My approach has more to do with what happens when a novel is stripped to its bare bones. The other speakers, I believe, will be addressing the more thematic concerns of the novel/play.

At last...

Two Rivers is going to be published. More details soon...

Photos of the Crazy Book Lady's Living Room

So here it is. And notice, I haven't even filled all of the shelves yet!!

Back to School

Well summer is officially over...I am back to school again. This semester I am teaching three Intro sections...back to back two days a week. I suspect I'm going to feel like a broken record by the third class, but I like that my schedule isn't spread out all over the place like last semester.

Yesterday P and I spent the entire day re-doing our livingroom. My entire body hurts today. I painted...Pebble Path is the color. During the day it looks like Dijon mustard, and at night it looks like a latte. Very strange. P assembled four gigantic floor to ceiling bookcases, and now we are officially the "crazy people with a whole wall of books." Poor sap didn't know what he was in for when he married me. Speaking of which...it's been eight years today since we got hitched. Some pretty great years.

On the writing/book front...some renewed interest and possibilities for Two Rivers. Also, I plan to get back to the super secret summer Scranton project this week. Too long of a hiatus.

Off to start my marathon teaching session in about an hour...writing from a brand new used computer in my office at school. Beats the hell out of the Windows 95 monstrosity I had before.