Cut a notch in the tree.
Mark my height on the door post.

A milestone has been reached.

I survived a whole year.
I will never have another first year as a teacher.
Ever again.
Amen and hallelujah.

p.s. i am still taking summer reading list recommendations.

Carry Me To Ohio

This song, currently playing on my computer, is by Mark Kozelek, formerly of Red House Painters and now of Sun Kil Moon. He has been in a couple different movies as well--Almost Famous, and Shop Girl. He's actually playing (or maybe played?) in Ft. Lauderdale this week, and I wish I could go see him. Gabe Florit actually introduced me to him first, but I can't remember the name of the song we were going to sing together (Gabe and me, not me and Kozelek, unfortunately). If you're out there, Gabe, do you remember what it was?

Anyway.

One week until school is done. I love my students, but I definitely need a break from some of them. It's as if they hit the last two weeks of school, and they suddenly believe they can get away with anything. I've had to be really firm this last week, if only to prevent total anarchy. I am really extremely amazingly very so super muchly tremendously excited about summer (we've been studying adverbs for the last few weeks--can you tell?). I am going to North Carolina for a little r&r, as well as some hopefully productive time spent with my camera, and in July I am going home to Lincoln for a few weeks. I am a little homesick right now because my sister just graduated from high school, and I missed it; so a trip home will be welcome.

Any good book recommendations? I'm trying to compile a summer reading list. Maybe I'll post it once I've gotten it put together.