gobbled

I remember Thanksgiving last year...I had to work. I remember teaching my kids about today's Thanksgiving traditions and had mad copies of coloring sheets and word search puzzles. I remember it being a "fun day" and passing out candy corns and I remember gobbling at my students as they entered and left the classroom.

Thanksgiving this year was traditional and familiar. It was filled with family activities and of course, lots of food. The turkey feast has come and gone and I ate enough to last the winter. Mashed potatoes, home made gravy, sweet potaters, jello salads, stuffing galore, turkey, fresh cranberry sauce, PIES AND PIES AND PIES oh my. The only thing missing, the one dish that's a Thanksgiving staple (in my opinion) was green bean casserole. How could this scrumptious dish be overlooked? Had I known, I would have made it myself.

Having been gone for Thanksgiving last year, I doubled my fork fulls this year. Stuffed and buffed I attempted to hit up a few shops the following day, but was quickly reminded that people get a little crazy with their shopping madness and I resorted to the comfort of my house. I did get a new jewelry armoir to house the many goodies I bought over the past year and I'm excited to furnish my new room with it.

Tomorrow, I move. I hope it doesn't rain.

and, I think Thanksgiving has made me more hungry then normal.

flying time and broomsticks

2 months, 2 months
my how you've flown,
i'm living with my parents now
and miss dwelling alone.

finally, i've found a job
and loving it everyday.
tomorrow i shall work alone,
my nerves not kept at bay.

Okay. I'm not a poet. I've never claimed to be and as you have just witnessed, I should never be given the permission to try. hahaha.

It's been exactly 2 months since I've returned from that faraway place and I'm settling back into North American culture relatively smoothly. Time plays little tricks on me though, making me think these two months have both flown and crept by.

In other news, I'm moving out of my parents house the end of this month. I found a sweet apartment, shared with three others who are already living there. The two that I met seem cool and laid back and the apartment itself is of great size and style. It's in a good neighborhood and will allow me to walk or bike to work during the warmer months. Plus, it's very inexpensive which scores high points in my monthly budget.

Funny story: Yesterday, I went to the mall in a desperate attempt to find some suitable work clothes. I walked into Banana Republic and felt like I was floating, or that the ground was moving. I literally said to the two sales clerks, "whoa. I feel like I'm floating!" They looked at me kindly disguising their astonishment of this seemingly drugged-up individual and said something like, "um, what?". I replied with something equally as stupid as my previous comment, but this time, I was holding out my arms to steady myself. It took me a second to realize that I had just made a complete fool out of myself but I still felt that floaty-ish feeling, as though I just stepped off a cruise and didn't quite feel balanced. Anyway, they must of thought I was on something and I quickly walked out head down and red in the face.

2 months. These are the things that I didn't have to worry about in Korea. Had I said something similar there, I would have been responded to with a nervous nod and mouth covered giggles at my inability to speak Korean. My how times have changed.

jobnesssss

Hi.

It's been a long week and I'm tired. Working does that to you I guess. I've been home for almost 2 months, just under actually, but I haven't officially worked since August 31st. Since then I've been busy job searching, wedding-ing, Montana-ing and overall relaxing, I've been woken up to the demands that a fulltime job has on one's body.

For anyone who doesn't know (although I'm sure the finger full of people who happen to read this already do), I was offered a position with the Grand Rapids Art Museum. My official title is "Educator of Youth and Family Programs" which basically means that I'm in charge of all the events and programs that fall under either of these categories...The real nail biter of it all is that the woman I'm replacing has a BFA in Art Education and a grad. certification in Museum studies...where she might have interned at the Getty. I'm not exactly sure....either way, she's got major qualifications and pretty much built the ed. program into what it is today. Oh well. The other thing that concerns me is the Director of Education is on maternity leave and my remaining two colleagues of our department are also very new. This is good and bad: together, we can idea-storm and steer the program in new and improved ways that will benefit the public, but none of us really know what we're doing.

This is where I work:

The big circle is Maya Lin's Ecliptic. She is famous for being the Yale undergrad who designed the Vietnam Memorial in DC. Behind it is the beautiful museum. My office is on the right side of the building.

Anyway. I'm tired. My feet hurt. My eyes and brain are generally mush by the end of the day and I'm spending buco bucks on gas (although it beats paying rent). Yes, I'm still rockin and rollin' in the Koeman household. It's awesome. Free food, heat and company. I'm off on Sundays and Mondays so tonight is my time to partayyyyyy...after a nap of course. In store for tonight: pizza, vino and GUITAR HEROOOOO.