40 Days of Blogging: Can I do it?

I never really know how to approach a blog. I mean, I have multiple blogs; inklingspot and teachforus are both about, well, me. How self-centered, right?

Okay, that's probably true. However, I've mostly wrote about crafting in this blog (hence the subtitle), and that's not really what I want out of this. So, I've decided to take a 40 day blogging challenge, mostly in honor of Lent. I want to write about the things that are currently chasing around my mind on a daily basis: things about TFA and the achievement gap, religion, graduation, the South, or really whatever is rattling around in my brain.

Yes, I realize this a public forum, probably more than a lot of people yapping on the internet understand. I also understand that you may not 1) agree, or 2) want to read my odd thoughts. And that is more than okay! Please feel free to comment or not, but please realize that this is just my thoughts at the moment. I don't mean to annoy or bore; just to talk about some of things that are important to me.

And isn't that the point of a blog? Besides, I am used to talking to myself in my journal, twitter account, and in the bathroom; might as well go for 40 days of blogging to (mostly) myself! ^_^

Teach for America

I have created a specifically TFA blog. I'm sure I will occasionally double dip on the posting, like today! Here's my first post:

I first heard about Teach for America as a college freshman. My boyfriend at the time attended the University of Oklahoma, and I attended the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville). He was in a speech class and the first assignment was a short speech on how to save the world. ( No biggie, right?) Well, a girl in his class did a presentation on TFA.

Fast forward four years, he’s in love with his boyfriend, and I’m in love with TFA. I transfered to a small liberal arts college closer to home my sophomore year, but kept researching TFA. I applied during the second deadline, skipped the phone interview, and interviewed at Rhodes College. A few weeks later, my school’s cafeteria burned to the ground, so I was eating lunch in the library when I got a phone call to check my acceptance status. My best friend had to read the acceptance to me; I think my squeals scared the librarian. I am (tentatively) slated to be an elementary teacher in the Mississippi Delta.

I am over the moon with excitement; I have interlibrary loaned a stack of books, downloaded podcasts, and hunted down every teacher I know. I took the Praxis I at the end of January, and I just signed up for the next two tests. I’m taking one during spring break, and I have to drive the approximately 4 hours to Little Rock because I procrastinated on signing up. (Oops?) I have signed up for the other Praxis II exam on the Saturday before I graduate. You know, right before finals. No pressure, right?

Bagels!

I got Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything for Christmas, and it is probably one of the first cookbooks I've actually enjoyed using. This is really fortunate because I recently canceled my college meal plan. I've made two bread recipes so far; one didn't quite work out, but my bagel attempt actually worked really well!

I am working on learning how to cook for real, which is now especially important since I've requested (and been approved) to be exempt from my meal plan and will soon be a college graduate. If you have any recommendations for cookbooks/cooking blogs/quick recipes, feel free to pass them along!

The Game: Annoying or Enlightening?

I hate playing "the game." In fact, when someone points out that I have "lost the game," I usually tell them I have enough reasons to feel like a loser and that I refuse to allow anyone to make me feel like a failure. However, this video made me think: what if everything we yearn for is ultimately a game we cannot win because we are human? We will one day die, we will always be unsatisfied, we will always lose. And that's okay! Shouldn't it all be about the journey, not the destination? What's the point of only enjoying the piece of paper you get at graduation if you didn't enjoy the steps that got you there?

Maybe next time I "lose the game," I will be reminded that losing is a way to be mindful of the goals I set and to always enjoy the journey. Yeah, it is still a silly game, but maybe it can remind me of something greater instead of being simply annoying.

The Eve of the Eve

I rode along with a few friends on a short trip, and I happened to have my camera on me. The dry and smoky air made a creepy-pretty sunset that I kinda liked. It's starting to feel a lot like fall!

Happy Fall!

I'm working on a big application, still editing the newspaper, and class. I just took some time to walk around with my camera and a friend the other day. It was so nice to just walk around and enjoy the beautiful weather. I hope to write a real update soon, but until then, hope it is beautiful wherever you are!

iPod Sleeping Bag Project

It's fall and The Boy's new iPod needed a sleeping bag.

A piece of felt, a fat quarter of red plaid and an afternoon with a cup of tea, and his iPod is snug and secure! Yay for simple fixes!