Back to school, back to school...

...to prove to dad that I'm not a fool (name the movie).

Last week was the teachers' week back. It pretty much consisted of me trying to convince my student teacher that I didn't really have anything for her to do yet (just wait...), trying to do curriculum mapping (sucks, hate it), staff picnic, getting my room set up, making copies, finishing my syllabi, going shopping with Wife, going to shows and living my usual double life. Tomorrow the kids come back. I'm sort of excited and sort of dreading it. I'm excited about seeing my AP kids since I had all of them last year. I have them first and third hour so I kind of get eased into the first day. I don't immediately have to learn a bunch of new names and faces which is kind of nice. I know it'll help alleviate some of my nerves which is a good thing.

Wife and I made our usual back-to-school shopping run which was a lot of fun. We hit H & M and hit it hard (or, hit our wallets hard) but walked away with lots of cute clothes. It's a good thing we don't teach at the same school or we'd be very matchy-matchy. I'm excited about the things I got even if most of them I can't really wear until it gets cooler (argyle, I LOVE argyle...) We also went to Express and got one or two things, but after H & M, Express seems so expensive. A little shoe shopping at Macy's (Wife got a great pair of brown heels and I got polka-dot Steve Madden pumps that I adore) and then Wife got her ears double-pierced which was fun. Enough damage was done at that point that we decided to head home, but I had a great time and new back-to-school clothes are so fun:)

We ended up then heading to Dominick's with Husband and Jon. Much (probably too much) sangria was had and hilarity ensued. The only bummer was as I, in my gracefulness, slipped in a HUGE puddle outside the Grad Library, ended up in the splits and soaked to the skin. It didn't hurt too much (though I have a beautiful bruise on my knee now) but my pride was rather injured. It was pretty funny though even if it was quite uncomfortable...A fun night all around though and an excellent way to say adieu to the summer.

So, let me backtrack for a moment to my double life. Tuesday Jon and I went to the Magic Stick in lieu of joining my co-workers at a Tiger's game so we could see Ganon play. I think they played a really good set and I was a little disappointed I didn't bring my camera since the light was a lot better than when we saw them at the Blind Pig. Friday we went to see Rufus Wainwright at the Michigan Theater which was a hoot. Total 180 from the show at the Magic Stick, but a lot of fun. I love Rufus. He's an amazing musician but totally camp at the same time. Great show.

However, my double life didn't end there. After "sneaking" out of school early on Friday I headed over to Name Brand Tattoo for my annual (so far) back to school ink. Yeah, so most people just get new books, paper, pens and clothes for back to school, but I feel this is my own little "fuck you, I might have to be professional and respectable on the outside but you don't get all of me" to the administration and whole profession. I met Jon there at 1pm, showed Mike (the same guy that did my other two tattoos) the design I wanted and he played with that for a little bit. I was SO nervous, as usual. I wasn't ever about to chicken out, but I was scared enough to feel like I had a flock of pterodactyls in my stomach. He started the outlining and it hurt like hell in spots but Jon kept telling me stories which helped a lot to take my mind somewhat off the pain. After over an hour of that Mike got to the shading which didn't hurt nearly as much (at first) and before I knew it, he was finished. I expected it to take closer to three hours but it only took around two, so that was good. I love how it came out even if it still has that scrape-y feeling (remember how it felt when you were a kid and skinned your knee or your elbow or something like that? Now imagine that feeling all up and down your back...) In fact, he had to change my design a little bit to make it "flow" better and I like it even more than the original. It might be my back, but it isn't a tramp stamp. I really love it. I can't quite believe this is my third, and I'm sure I'll get others as time goes on (I already have ideas). So weird. I have three tattoos. Crazy.

Yeah, so, that's been this week. What a time, eh? I haven't been doing a whole lot of cooking although I did make my dad the coconut chicken curry tonight and it came out really great. Jon and I go to Cincinnati next weekend which should be fun. I'm looking forward to a little last vacation before school really begins in earnest.

Geeze. The summer really went way too fast...

Listening to: Rufus Wainwright, Release the Stars