I have recently finished reading/listening to Persuasion by Jane Austen. I was extremely impressed with the plot line in this novel, just as I was impressed with Sense and Sensibility. I have never been a big Austen fan until The Finer Things Book Club pushed me in the right direction. I am in debt to Cristy’s selection of Sense and Sensibility because without a little push I doubt I would have read anything by Austen until I was teaching it in a class. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice in the past but thought it was just okay. Perhaps at the time I wasn’t intrigued by the idea of romance, but now I have a thorough enjoyment of it. I thought Persuasion had a very heartening ending that made me want to kiss Chris a thousand times… I was on the road to Utah so that was a no go. Come this weekend you better believe I will be setting up a date night with Chris. Who knows it might happen on my lunch break from Wal-mart. Modern day romance here I come :)

Exciting News... well for us :)

For the past year or so Chris and I have been playing with the idea of moving to Houston, TX for my student teaching. The district in Houston works with USU and brings students to their district which is an inner city, lower income school district. I thought it sounded like a good idea from the start because I'd get the experience of working in an inner city school while still graduating from USU. We really started considering it when Chris did a little research into their local culinary art schools; paired with my somewhat lack of confidence in getting hired in the state of Utah while graduating at the age of 23 (basically I think I don't have as much life experience needed to be a successful teacher) we decided to meet with the representative and get some more information. Well after talking with the representative through email and in person, and emailing a USU graduate who stayed in Houston, we have really decided to go for it. I am excited for this move unlike our Idaho move because we will both be able to work on our careers and hopefully set up home in Houston. I think the change to a bigger city will be refreshing and a possible job in my future will be motivationally exciting. I really can't wait for this semester to pass me so that I can start really attempting to be a teacher. We will sadly be moving farther away from our families, but they will be able to come out and visit us and enjoy some new scenery. I'll admit I really want my mom to consider moving to Texas when I start having kids because I want her to be able to enjoy being a grandmother. However, that is her choice to make. I'm nervous as all hell to be student teaching in that environment and if I don't end up getting a job with the district. I'm aiming to stay positive, and in case that situation becomes reality, I'll just have to keep telling myself "I'm much more marketable as a teacher now that I have that experience on my resume." Wish us luck as we bid adieu to Idaho Falls and the friends we've made and start a move to Houston--this won’t be until December/January of course.

Class

I'm in class with a checked out laptop from the library and it amazes me just how many times people offer so much personal information in classroom comments. I know it makes me a bad human, but I don't care to listen half the time. I can tell I'm overdue to graduate because college life is not really for me anymore. Students are really self-centered and when I'm a teacher my attitude will change completely, but for now I'll enjoy my cynicism. I don't care who just got married and who works at Macey's as a cashier... she's a douche :)

Alone Time

So as some of you may know I am commuting to Logan on Tuesdays for my last semester before I student teach. I get the opportunity to stay in Logan until Thursday when I head up promptly after my class. I only have 7 credits and therefore my time in Logan isn't dedicated to school alone. I haven't had to entertain myself so much in the recent past and I'm a bit out of practice. Luckily the school has a wonderfully large library with lots of computers and of course the big life saver... the Internet. Without which I would be stuck to reading every ounce of homework and being prepared 110% rather than a good 100%. If only I could have attempted a semester like this when I was doing 18 credits and working 30-40 hours a week with two jobs. My GPA is very good...well respectable, but boy I would have learned a lot more if I could devout 6 hours straight in the library. You live and learn I guess. Oh and this lovely image isn't me... google's images are fantastic.