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

Photos from Thursday

In case the hilarity at the 8 Ball isn't quite clear, here are a few photos from the night. Also, in other news, we WON TRIVIA last night!!! Woo! It's only the second time I've ever been on the winning team and it was pretty great. The only down bit of the night was when some asshole almost ran me and Jon over as we were crossing the street to Conor's. Had my reaction time been even a hair slower, I'd have cracked my head on the street. Ugh. Some people shouldn't be allowed to drive.

Tomorrow is my last day with 4th hour! Yay! Only 3 more days of school! We leave for Italy in three weeks! Yay!

Oh, and how could I have forgotten to mention this...Friday night (prior to nearly killing us both) a certain someone surprised me with flowers. And not just any flowers, my favorite flowers, irises. I'm still grinning about that:) Not to brag, but I'm pretty damn lucky.

Finally, a chance to slow down

What a week and a half...it's been a lot of fun, but I was exhausted today and managed to sleep through most of the day. I probably won't be able to sleep tonight now, but I'm still tired, so maybe I'll luck out. Here's the rundown:

Friday: Dinner with Jon at Tower and then the Taking Back Sunday show at EMU. I ran into two students and the band only let photographers up front for two songs. You guys aren't that amazing to justify being dicks about how many songs we can be up there. Come on...three songs is the standard, let's stick to that.

Saturday: I got invited to check out Ganon at the Blind Pig so after letting Jon cook for me (what else is new:) we had some crap beer in the 8-Ball and then headed upstairs for the show. It was fun to finally see Ganon play since I've heard so much about them...I also got hit on as I was heading into the 8-Ball. It was kind of funny and weirdly flattering. Whatever.

Sunday: Dinner at Palio's with my parents, Husband, Wife and Jon for my belated b-day dinner. We drank a ridiculous amount of wine and then since I didn't have to work the next day, Jon and I headed to Conor's for karaoke. I refused to sing but also discovered that Jon is really good at karaoke. I learned something new:) I still don't think I could do it, I try to avoid public humiliation, but I had a lot of fun watching. Long talk with Jon afterwards, things are ok. I got home at 3am. My mom and dad were less than amused.

Monday: Writing, grading papers, hit the gym and then a celebratory dinner at Prickly Pear with Jon because he got the job at JSTOR. Then we hit trivia night at Conor's and kicked some ass. Fourth place baby! Not bad:)

Tuesday: Writing, grading papers, gym and the first early night in days. It felt like a Sunday night, boo hiss.

Wednesday: Horrid mandatory pro-life lecture at school. I wanted to cringe, argue and walk out all at once. Ugh. The joys of working in a Catholic school. MCR concert that night was amazing...Jon and I got lost on the way (you'd think I'd be better at finding my way in Detroit by this point). I get a call from Husband on the way there that they're being dicks about letting cameras in. I get really nervous because I'm supposed to have a photo pass, but what if the band's PR person screwed up? I'm also horribly anxious because I'm supposed to be on the guestlist +1. I had already gotten a ticket, but what if I wasn't on the list? Then I will have dragged Jon out to Joe Louis and wasted his time completely. I feel like I have elephants, pterydactyls (sp?) and some other large, horrible animal catapulting around in my stomach. Getting lost didn't help.

So, we finally make it to Joe Louis, find a parking spot and begin the hunt for Husband and Wife. The doors aren't open yet, so they're waiting outside sans coats among the hundreds and hundreds of angsty emo kids and their parents. Jon and I go to find the box office and get our tickets. No problem there but I then find I have to go to the media enterance to get my photo pass. We end up waiting almost half an hour to get said pass, but at least it was INSIDE and we essentially got to jump the whole line. I had to virtually sign my life away, but at least MCR granted photographers three songs unlike TBS.

Rise Against opened. I didn't care a whole lot but I got some good pics. MCR was amazing...I'm happy with the photos I got and still can't quite believe I was THAT close to them. They did two full sets...22 songs or so. The entire first half was The Black Parade, the second half was all stuff from Three Cheers. I loved every second and sang along like a total moron. Husband, Wife and Jon are all very good to put up with my silliness.

Thursday: Rough morning but not too bad. Then I had an interview with Bayside out at St. Andrews before their show. I got to do the interview on their tour bus which was pretty fun (first time I've ever been on a tour bus). The guys were nice and I think the interview went well. I had a photo pass to shoot the show and all went well until my back decided that I was an ass for essentially standing two days straight (work, MCR, work, Bayside). I was in agony but held in there to shoot the last band of the night and then took off to collapse into bed.

Friday: Frantically finishing TBS review for Static. It's now up and I got my first photo credit for them. Check it out here. Quick nap and then more cooking fun at Jon's. Great night overall.

Saturday: Frantically writing MCR review for Static. My editor wanted between 500-1,000 words. I sent him 1,300. The review and photo just went up, check it out here. Ran at the gym with Jon for a while, home to talk to my mom for the first time since Tuesday, finished MCR piece and headed back to Jon's to let him cook red beans and rice for me. Another excellent evening.

Sunday: Recovery. I have no attention span and didn't get shit done today. I needed to get a lot done but didn't. I know it'll be a busy week, but I don't think it'll be quite as awful as last week.

However, I did get offered the chance to review the Scissor Sisters show at the State on Thursday. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm not gonna turn down two free tix to the show. I may also get to interview and pretty definitely get to cover the Snow Patrol show in April (I think). I have two jobs. I just only get paid for one. BUT, I think I'm going to do quite well with my income tax refund, so I've been able to upgrade the digital SLR I want AND I should be able to get it pretty soon and have a hefty hunk of change left over. The rest I'll sock away for other big dreams of mine... (though getting another tattoo is awfully tempting...) I'm also thinking I'll work this summer at plastic surgery for the extra money. I really want to move out (I know, dropping a pile of money on a digital camera shouldn't come first then, but it does) and this will be a good way to do it. I hate the idea of working there, but the extra money is too tempting.

Mom and dad leave for Europe in 15 days, but I'm not counting. I can't wait. I guess I should go and try to finish up my crap for tomorrow now that it's 10:00 pm...

Oh, and a few of my favorite photos from MCR:





Listening to: Bayside, The Walking Wounded