And thus, I begin the annual endeavor to listen to Earth, Wind and Fire's masterpiece "September" every day in the month of September. I didn't do well on this quest last year, but I had a new friend who
would surprise me when he remembered the song and start playing it. While yesterday's listening happened after midnight, I'm still counting it for September 1st. Yesterday's listening happened with so many of my close friends letting loose on the dance floor in someone' living room. Today I wandered around parts of Minneapolis I had never seen before. Tomorrow I will prepare to go back to school and get things done for America, among other things.
To the start of another school year without being a student...
love,
hannah
Monday, September 2, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Dear dry shampoo,
Oh. My. God.
This is going to sound silly, but you're legitimately amazing. I'd heard about dry shampoo and thought that it was a good idea but it's actually something else! Dry shampoo is genius. What is this? Why did I not do this sooner? I don't know if this changes everything, but I may spend a future fortune on dry shampoo.
What a discovery.
love,
hannah
This is going to sound silly, but you're legitimately amazing. I'd heard about dry shampoo and thought that it was a good idea but it's actually something else! Dry shampoo is genius. What is this? Why did I not do this sooner? I don't know if this changes everything, but I may spend a future fortune on dry shampoo.
What a discovery.
love,
hannah
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Dear sectum sepra,
A student walked into my office today and just said "sectum sepra" like it was a hello.
Me: Why did you say that? Be careful with that... I don't want anyone bleeding on my floor because of your sectum sepra.
Student: I don't know.
You can tell we are a week away from the end of the school year. I cannot wait to be released, and at the same time HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THIS BE? Where did time go? Didn't I just arrange my desk a little while ago? It's strange because I was counting down to the end of first post grad year, but I was not keeping track of the school year. I'm almost done with one term of service and gearing up for another. Soon my students will be on their way to college and waiting to see me cry at graduation.
They really want to see me cry. Let lose another sectum sepra and I might...
love,
hannah
Me: Why did you say that? Be careful with that... I don't want anyone bleeding on my floor because of your sectum sepra.
Student: I don't know.
You can tell we are a week away from the end of the school year. I cannot wait to be released, and at the same time HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THIS BE? Where did time go? Didn't I just arrange my desk a little while ago? It's strange because I was counting down to the end of first post grad year, but I was not keeping track of the school year. I'm almost done with one term of service and gearing up for another. Soon my students will be on their way to college and waiting to see me cry at graduation.
They really want to see me cry. Let lose another sectum sepra and I might...
love,
hannah
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Dear one year,
The first thing I thought when I woke up today was, "I've got to call my mom."
The second thing I thought when I woke up today was, "It's been one year since I graduated from college." A friend remarked yesterday, "I don't know how you can remember that." It's easy, it was May 12, 2012 (the twelve thing makes it easy to remember) and I have it marked on my wrist.
Someone, probably a recent graduate themselves, told me before I graduated that this was going to basically be the worst year of my life. So I prepared for that. I approached this year as if it was going to be horrible, and worked to mitigate the horribleness. Hopefully that would make me happy, or at least less unhappy. Because of this, I thought that once the year had passed there would be a sort of magical lifting. The year would be up.
How in the world has it been a year? Nothing has happened. That's not entirely true, but it feels that way. I will say this about the year being up: I only know it is here, because I have been planning for it. Otherwise, I probably would have looked up from a book next weekend as my friends are graduating across town and think, "Wow, it's been a year since I graduated." If I hadn't been waiting for today, I wouldn't have known because there is no magical lifting. At some point during this year I stopped counting. Living outside of the countdown is a wonderful thing. But, I have found other ways to count this time. During this year I moved three times, watched three whole TV shows (one was Sports Night, so that doesn't really count), administered five practice ACT tests, traveled to Chicago eight times, and read 42 books.
The last one is probably the most important. (Especially since my goal for 2013 is to read 42 books, so this proves that it's possible.) I only had two plans leaving graduation: Don't be miserable and read a lot. In college, you read a lot, but all the fun is gone. You're reading for meaning, or to critique or to pass a class, not because you want to read. I wanted to read whatever I wanted after graduation, and that has been the best thing that I've done for myself. Some of them have been as moving and as powerful as The Ground Beneath Her Feet, one was required, many were by John Green, some were re-read, which I don't do that often. several were gifts and many were passed on. I only gave up on one (Sorry Ethan); Angle of Repose. But many family members love it, so I might give it another try when I'm not keeping watch over an incredibly hot church. During this year I have also made new friends, learned to cook better, even made my bed, but this is they way I choose to measure this year, because it wasn't horrible.
I read: The Handmaid's Tale, Sense and Sensibility, The Shadow of the Wind, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Night Circus, Spook, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Maus 1: My Father Bleeds History, Maus 2: And Here My Troubles Began, Blueprints for Building Better Girls, A Hope in the Unseen, Ella Enchanted, The Enchantress of Florence, The Kissing List, The Angel's Game, An Abundance of Katherines, Good for the Jews, Water for Elephants, The Age of Miracles, The Metamorphosis, Lolita, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, Lizz Free or Die, The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, I'm Starved for You (Positron #1), Choke Collar (Positron #2), Erase Me (Positron #3), We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy, Rules of Civility, Behind the Beatiful Forevers, Feasting and Fasting, Start Here: Read Your Way Into 25 Amazing Authors, Eleanor and Park, How to Be a Woman, Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, When She Woke, Stupid Perfect World, The Space Between Us, Brave New World, and The Great Gatsby. I am currently reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver and working on Jews and Words (very slowly).
I have already given my advice in a previous post, so I will just say this:
To the Class of 2012, we did it! We can stop counting!
To my mother, sorry that you haven't been able to smell for a year.
love,
hannah
The second thing I thought when I woke up today was, "It's been one year since I graduated from college." A friend remarked yesterday, "I don't know how you can remember that." It's easy, it was May 12, 2012 (the twelve thing makes it easy to remember) and I have it marked on my wrist.
I had this bracelet made last summer, after a discussion about what we would get tattooed on our bodies. I don't want a tattoo, but I love this quote. It comes from Salman Rushdie's The Ground Beneath Her Feet, mentioned here before. It says "My heart broke open and history fell in." While I like to think that this quote captures something about my college years, I think that it more accurately describes what I hope I will do in the future. This bracelet sits on my wrist with other silver bracelets (recently complimented by one of the secretaries at school) and most of the time I forget about it; it has become a part of my daily uniform. But sometimes I remember this thing which I had made, and it makes me happy.
Someone, probably a recent graduate themselves, told me before I graduated that this was going to basically be the worst year of my life. So I prepared for that. I approached this year as if it was going to be horrible, and worked to mitigate the horribleness. Hopefully that would make me happy, or at least less unhappy. Because of this, I thought that once the year had passed there would be a sort of magical lifting. The year would be up.
How in the world has it been a year? Nothing has happened. That's not entirely true, but it feels that way. I will say this about the year being up: I only know it is here, because I have been planning for it. Otherwise, I probably would have looked up from a book next weekend as my friends are graduating across town and think, "Wow, it's been a year since I graduated." If I hadn't been waiting for today, I wouldn't have known because there is no magical lifting. At some point during this year I stopped counting. Living outside of the countdown is a wonderful thing. But, I have found other ways to count this time. During this year I moved three times, watched three whole TV shows (one was Sports Night, so that doesn't really count), administered five practice ACT tests, traveled to Chicago eight times, and read 42 books.
The last one is probably the most important. (Especially since my goal for 2013 is to read 42 books, so this proves that it's possible.) I only had two plans leaving graduation: Don't be miserable and read a lot. In college, you read a lot, but all the fun is gone. You're reading for meaning, or to critique or to pass a class, not because you want to read. I wanted to read whatever I wanted after graduation, and that has been the best thing that I've done for myself. Some of them have been as moving and as powerful as The Ground Beneath Her Feet, one was required, many were by John Green, some were re-read, which I don't do that often. several were gifts and many were passed on. I only gave up on one (Sorry Ethan); Angle of Repose. But many family members love it, so I might give it another try when I'm not keeping watch over an incredibly hot church. During this year I have also made new friends, learned to cook better, even made my bed, but this is they way I choose to measure this year, because it wasn't horrible.
I read: The Handmaid's Tale, Sense and Sensibility, The Shadow of the Wind, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Night Circus, Spook, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Maus 1: My Father Bleeds History, Maus 2: And Here My Troubles Began, Blueprints for Building Better Girls, A Hope in the Unseen, Ella Enchanted, The Enchantress of Florence, The Kissing List, The Angel's Game, An Abundance of Katherines, Good for the Jews, Water for Elephants, The Age of Miracles, The Metamorphosis, Lolita, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, Lizz Free or Die, The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, I'm Starved for You (Positron #1), Choke Collar (Positron #2), Erase Me (Positron #3), We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy, Rules of Civility, Behind the Beatiful Forevers, Feasting and Fasting, Start Here: Read Your Way Into 25 Amazing Authors, Eleanor and Park, How to Be a Woman, Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, When She Woke, Stupid Perfect World, The Space Between Us, Brave New World, and The Great Gatsby. I am currently reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver and working on Jews and Words (very slowly).
I have already given my advice in a previous post, so I will just say this:
To the Class of 2012, we did it! We can stop counting!
To my mother, sorry that you haven't been able to smell for a year.
love,
hannah
Friday, May 10, 2013
Dear chartreuse,
It was once said, "Chartreuse is the color of choice." Or, rather, it was once overheard in a hot dog place. But chartreuse is busting out all over the place! It's exploding from every tree, especially along the river, which has finally stopped feeling gray.
Chartreuse, it's lovely to have you back, even when you're going to be replaced by much deeper hues soon.
love,
hannah
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Dear Dan Rydell,
How could I have ever fallen for Casey McCall? I mean really. Casey is not bad by means, but how did I ever overlook Dan Rydell.
For those of you that don't know Dan Rydell is fictional. He is one of the characters on Sports Night played by Josh Charles. I love Sports Night. It is the best and it is the best thing in the world for procrastinating and after eleven months of working hard it is now time for some procrastination. Between now and the end of June I have to write 35 detailed letters of recommendation for my fantastic students. They are great, but writing a letter takes lots of thought and time. Which means I need to find ways to procrastinate and nothing is better than Sports Night.
But seriously Dan Rydell is the best. I don't know that I can articulate it at this moment but Dan Rydell is super dreamy. Also neurotic. The first few times I watched Sports Night I was all about Casey. Maybe I've grown up.
However, and please forgive my fangirling, this time through I'm shipping Dan/Natalie. Something I've never done before. Also the first time I have shipped a non-canon couple. Maybe I haven't grown up.
love,
hannah
For those of you that don't know Dan Rydell is fictional. He is one of the characters on Sports Night played by Josh Charles. I love Sports Night. It is the best and it is the best thing in the world for procrastinating and after eleven months of working hard it is now time for some procrastination. Between now and the end of June I have to write 35 detailed letters of recommendation for my fantastic students. They are great, but writing a letter takes lots of thought and time. Which means I need to find ways to procrastinate and nothing is better than Sports Night.
But seriously Dan Rydell is the best. I don't know that I can articulate it at this moment but Dan Rydell is super dreamy. Also neurotic. The first few times I watched Sports Night I was all about Casey. Maybe I've grown up.
However, and please forgive my fangirling, this time through I'm shipping Dan/Natalie. Something I've never done before. Also the first time I have shipped a non-canon couple. Maybe I haven't grown up.
love,
hannah
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Dear skirt day,
Yesterday was Skirt Day in the metro Twin Cities area. Oh, you don't know what Skirt Day is? Skirt Day is the first day in the spring when the weather allows you to wear a skirt with bare legs. I have a history of missing Skirt Day, then attempting to make it up later inevitably picking a day that is not meant for skirts with bare legs. However, in 2013, I knew it was coming. I was prepared for Skirt Day. It was beautiful. The sun came out, there's still mounds of snow on the ground, but Minnesota changes so quickly.
Suddenly the weather changes, everyone starts smiling and things don't seem so scary. However, this is the first time when this change hasn't been connected with finals.
love,
hannah
Suddenly the weather changes, everyone starts smiling and things don't seem so scary. However, this is the first time when this change hasn't been connected with finals.
love,
hannah
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