I'm alive, just in case anyone happened to be concerned. The hurricane wasn't that bad, but it came ashore stronger than anticipated--a strong cat. 3 instead of a 1 or 2--and a lot of places lost power. Providence didn't get power back until yesterday, so I've been enjoying having the whole week off from school. I'm ready to get back. I think if I don't get back to work, I'll convince myself to move home. When I'm home alone, thinking about how hard it is to live here, how far away my family is, etc., I get sort of down and discouraged. I need to work so I don't think so much. Plus, I'm listening to a lot of Patty Griffin lately, and she's definitely making me mellow. The weather is gorgeous though, so that's been positive. Temps have been in the high 70's for the past week, so Lindsey and I have had the doors to the lanai open morning, noon, and night. That means turning off the air-conditioning, fans, and other electrical appliances whose sole purpose is to keep us cool. This in turn means a lower electric bill next month, which is always a plus!

I came to the realization this week (all this crazy thinking) that I don't like working. I just mean work in general. I don't exactly know what the solution to this is, but I've decided that basically, I am very lazy, and I would rather stay at home reading and making pies (thanks, Patty) or doing something other than holding down a steady job. I could work part-time--I think I could be okay with that. But full-time? Ugh. The biggest thing I don't like about teaching is that it doesn't end at the end of the day. It's a job that is essentially your life. I don't know if I want teaching to be my life.

Sorry for the rather somber tone today. Like I said, too much time thinking and not enough time being productive. On a lighter note, my mother has found a husband for me. Or at least she's given a picture of me to a woman who knows a woman who has a son who's 24 and looking for a good wife. Once he sees that picture of me--oh boy!

Late Obsessions:

• Gilmore Girls, seasons 1-4 on DVD
• McDonald's ice cream cones
• Patty Griffin's 1000 Kisses and Living with Ghosts
• Coldplay's X and Y
• home/midwest/family/missing it all