YouTube Picks!

    Hey guys, I apologize for not posting yesterday.  I actually had to got to work!  I know, I have at least a temporary job agreement with the local comic book store, but how cool is that?!  My employment situation has been a bit up-in-the-air as of late and I'm really hoping to change that within the next week or so.  For now I'm looking forward to getting out of the house and making some much-needed cash.  I had an interview today for a big girl job that I'm really hoping I get, so fingers crossed.  This job is more in line with my educational background and I thought it went alright, but I tend to psych myself out a lot with important things like this and get really down on myself, so I'm hoping this weekend will give me a chance to relax and take it all in before I find out for sure.  That being said, I was at work pretty much all day Thursday and then when I got home I totally forgot about the blog, so whoops!  And here we are.  On to it then.

    Today we're going to discuss my favorite YouTubers that I've been loving as of late.  I've been really engaged with YouTube for a few years now and it's been a great resource for me.  It's a place where normal people can upload their own content and a select few have moved on to bigger things already.  I will say that this is only a list of channels I've been watching lately and frequently, not an entire list of my subscribers, which would be about 50 at the moment, so I obviously can't include everyone here.  I've sort of fallen out of watching most of the videos I'm subscribed to and I'm trying to make some time for a little YouTube every day.  These are some of the channels I've been loving, which include some BookTubers as well as some channels I watch regularly.  I'll provide a link to each channel in their descriptions, (the title of the channel should be highlighted, meaning it should be a different text color).

(youtube.com)

    This is Regan and she is the vlogger behind "Peruse Project."  This is probably my favorite BookTube channel at the moment.  She is an incredible person, extremely entertaining, a little quirky, and she reminds me a lot of myself actually.  I've gotten most of my book recommendations from her as well because she's very fantasy-oriented.  Just because she bleeds high fantasy doesn't mean she doesn't like other genres.  Her book reviews and hauls are very helpful and I've enjoyed every book I've gotten based on her recommendation so far.  Definitely a good channel to check out if you're new to BookTube and want crisp and witty content.

(youtube.com)

    I was originally drawn to this next BookTuber by her incredible channel name "Padfoot and Prongs07."  Clearly, she is a fellow Harry Potter fan and a huge nerd.  Raeleen is from Canada but the books she features on her channel can also be found in the US.  Her reviews have also been very helpful when deciding what book I will read next.  I love her energy and her enthusiasm for the books she reads or wants to read.  She is very similar to Regan in the fact that they are both a little awkward, but they make it work and they are always themselves.  I admire her so much and I think she's adorable!  We also look a lot alike I think, (especially when my hair was longer).  As my unofficial twin, I recommend her channel for all your bookish needs.

(youtube.com)

    Jesse is a different kind of character all together.  "Jessethereader" has some incredible book hauls and I'm surprised that one person can read that many books in any given month or so.  Jesse is so funny and animated when he's talking about the books he loves and he also does really great in-depth book reviews.  He's also recently started reading graphic novels and comic books, which other BookTubers have already started doing.  I think he's a great resource if you're just starting out with comics, like he is.  His recommendations mirror others found in the BookTuber community.  Overall, if you find Booktube, you not only find a great resource for book recommendations, but also a great group of friends who help each other and recommend books to each other.  I really love this YouTube community, so I hope you check it out!

(feminspire.com)

    I couldn't make a list of YouTubers I watch on a regular basis without including Grace Helbig.  Her channel has been a favorite of mine for the better part of 3 years or so.  She has done very well for herself as of late and is currently doing commercials for Marriott as well as hosting her own show on E! called the Grace Helbig Show.  She's one of the funniest people I've ever seen and I hope her success continues.  Her good friends Hannah and Mamrie Hart, (no relation), are also on my subscription list, but I definitely watch Grace the most.  She typically posts her videos every other day, so if you seem interested, I would definitely recommend her channel!

(youtube.com)

    The last YouTube channel on my list of most frequently watched is Nerdist News.  I watch this channel every day just to get my nerdy fix.  Hosted by Jessica Chobot, this channel brings you the most nerdiest news out there, including updates from your most anticipated movie sets, changes in popular TV show theories, gaming reviews and much more.  The schedule goes as follows: Nerdist News airs an episode Monday through Friday, Nerdist Play airs Tuesdays and covers gaming-related news, The Dan Cave, (my personal favorite), airs Wednesdays and has a plethora of random topics, and Because Science, which covers science-related and experimental things.  There's literally something for everyone and they are usually pretty in-depth.  Not to mention everyone is hilarious!  I go to them as my first source for news coverage because that's all I really care about.  You can also check them out on their website Nerdist.com for more Nerdist News.

    That's all I have for you guys today!  Check out those YouTube channels and if you enjoy what you find, make sure you give them a thumbs up or subscribe.  All the links should be posted above.  If you want to follow any of those YouTubers on other social media platforms, those links should be somewhere on their main channel pages.  If you have a favorite YouTube channel or like any of the ones I've posted here, let me know in the comments!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

The Equivalent of Screaming Into a Pillow

    Good evening everyone!  It has certainly been an exciting and hectic week...  I had lab work to get done Monday, baking and other preparations for the last few days for both parties taking place this afternoon, (hopefully the one I couldn't be at went well, or else I may be in trouble...), a team meeting during a delayed opening, finishing my pedagogy, (FINALLY), AND, to top it all off, we're officially moving in six weeks, which means they're starting to show our apartment tomorrow.  That is a long and very stressful list of things that I have had to get done without a lot of time to do any of them.

    Firstly, I did get my kidney biopsy results back with not a lot of good news, (not that I was expecting any).  My Lupus has spread to my kidneys, as we had thought, so now it's time to devise a plan for treatment.  Hopefully it won't be too difficult, but I'm anticipating at least some mildly uncomfortable side effects and/or long term damage to some other organ in my body.  It has been great feeling relatively normal these last few weeks, but I know that eventually I'm going to have to face whatever is coming and it won't be good.  Needless to say I have so much support it's ridiculous, so I wanted to publicly thank my husband for his understanding and his unrelenting patience when it comes to dealing with me when I'm needy.  I'd also like to thank my parents, both of whom have provided me with enough support, advice and love to last even the longest lifetime.  I honestly don't know what I would do without my family.

    Speaking of family, my mother has graciously offered us a place to stay.  We'll be moving back to my childhood home very soon, but it's a very different place.  We will practically have our own private apartment upstairs, complete with a full bathroom, bedroom, common area and even an office, (in the foreseeable future).  There is a lot of stigma surrounding adults moving back in with their parents, but in my situation it's actually a positive thing.  Moving back home does not always have to symbolize failure or disappointment.  It can actually be a great opportunity to get back on track, save money, live a healthier lifestyle and get in touch with your goals and aspirations.  Both my husband and I are very excited about this opportunity and this arrangement and look forward to reaching our goals so we can live the life we want to live.  If you told me six years ago that I would be living with my husband at my mother's house, I would've told you that you were crazy.  I'm very excited about the prospect of happiness and look forward to moving into a better environment.  Although, I'm not a huge fan of the moving process in general...  Boxing everything up and storing it for years at a time isn't my idea of fun, nor is moving said boxes from Point A to Point B in various vehicles.  I'm not looking forward to the process, but I am definitely looking forward to the end result.  We've already got a head start on cleaning because of all the scheduled showings, so it'll be easier to pick through the debris.  We're hoping to be out of here by Thanksgiving break at the latest.

    In teaching news, I've been working on setting up teacher observations anywhere and everywhere: within my school and subject area, outside my district, outside the state, etc.  Every opportunity is precious, so I have to make them count.  I'm looking forward to seeing how other professional teachers teach and the strategies I can take away to use in my own future teaching practices.  In seminar we've been asked to think about what constitutes a "professional teacher" and I'm hoping to find out through these observations.  If I've learned anything from this process so far, it's that the preconceived notions you may have going in aren't necessarily going to ring true by the end of your journey.  In other teaching news, I created this great lesson plan for a Halloween-themed "hero's journey" activity that I would really like to do with the kids, but don't think it'll happen because of time commitment issues, (and the fact that the 30th and 31st has already been planned...).  I just wanted to do something fun with the kids and take a break from the monotony of The Odyssey, but it may not be in the cards I guess.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes if it really does come to fruition, but I'm not holding my breath on this one.

    TV this week has been sparse, but I did get some Once in.  It was crazy confusing this past weekend.  The best part of the entire episode was Hook, (or Killian), and Emma's date, which was almost as awkward as I thought it would be.  Still very sweet, but we definitely need a second date in the near future.  That should give Hook time to sort out what the hell is going on with his hand.  I have absolutely no clue what's going on with Rumple at this point.  He seemed to have changed last season with his marriage to Belle, especially after he gave her back the real dagger.  But now, he's being a complete asshole to everyone for what seems like no reason.  The sorcerer's hat has triggered so many memories and events so far, so it's importance is imminent.  I'm excited about the prospect of introducing more elements of Fantasia into the mix, but when the poor apprentice got sucked into the depths of that black hole inside the hat I got a little scared.  The hat seemed so innocent and unknowing in Fantasia and now it's this evil black hole weapon thing...  I don't know how I feel about all this, but I do know by now that when Rumple wants something he will stop at nothing to get it.  Who knows what's going on with him ever?  I do think it's cute that Henry is attempting to infiltrate Rumple's "lair."  We'll see how well that works out.

    There's one more thing I've stumbled upon this week that I thought was interesting.  There's a community of book-loving readers on YouTube called "Booktube."  This community regularly posts videos and vlogs regarding book reviews, suggestions, book hauls, and more.  Each Booktube vlogger brings there own personal flair to their channel and I'm intrigued enough to explore this new community that might actually interest me.  I've been looking back into vlogging again and this might be an avenue I travel down, considering my profession.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  I have everything I need to start, just need the time and the confidence to do it.

    That's all I got!  Even if I don't start my own Booktube channel, I will do my best to revamp my Book Reviews page on here and keep it updated as frequently as possible.  Now that I'm starting to read more for leisure it should be a lot easier.  Fingers crossed!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Vacation Land

    It's Tuesday again, so you know what that means!  Another boring blog.  It's school vacation week around here, which means no visitation/observation hours at schools and no work substituting.  I haven't even had class since last Wednesday.  I've also been really sick, so that's been no fun at all...especially since I've been a snot zombie and can't feel my face from all the congestion.  The good news is that I have at least one fun thing planned for this week, which I am excited about: tubing!  Maybe I'll remember to take pictures this time when I leave the house so I have proof that it actually happened...

    Operation Employment has been stagnant of late since the botched interview last week.  I'm still hopeful and I have at least four or five other jobs lined up, so we'll see what happens.  I've caved and applied to some retail stores, seeing as that seems to be all I'm good for, so maybe I'll hear back from someone this week.  Maybe not...  Who knows?
    As I currently have no steady job with any way to make payments on anything consecutively, I've resigned myself to the fact that I will probably not be getting a new car this year:(  I was holding out for it and very excited, but since getting fired put a damper on my funds I really don't have the means to purchase even a newer used car right now.  This couldn't have come at a worse time, and the savings I had up until this point would've been great towards a down payment, but I've had to use it to live off of, so it's slowly dwindling down to nothing again.  Maybe someday I'll be able to get myself a new car so that the Red Baron can finally retire, but it is not this day.

    Let's have some good vibes now!  So far, my two big TV reviews are for The Bachelor and for The Amazing Race, which premiered this past Sunday, (unbeknownst to me, but my father called and let me know we missed it so I could watch it yesterday).  Unbelievable, (for both shows).  SPOILER ALERT!!...  I can't believe Renee got eliminated!  And yet I can, because she was really the only normal person left besides Andi and he obviously wasn't giving her enough attention.  That being said, he probably should've let her go a little earlier, considering he ended up meeting her son for no apparent reason.  I don't know how I feel about that, and the fact that Nikki has already met Camila.  Does that mean he likes her the most?  Meeting someone's child should be a big deal, in my mind, and Renee tore down a lot of walls to make that happen with JP and Ben, but to no avail.  It's really sad, but at least they won't be burdened later on with the fantasy suite fiasco set up to happen.  I'm still rooting for Andi, but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Nikki won.

    The Amazing Race started off with a huge disappointment!  Of course Mark and Bopper were one of my favorite teams to come back and race for the all-stars, but they couldn't let me have that.  Poor Bopper, all ready to go, then BOOM, inflamed pancreas, (or whatever).  Poor Mark too, since he's stuck to that Mallory from now on.  Despite this obvious set back, (and set up), I will be supporting Joey and Meaghan for this race, seeing as they're the only people I really know.  That's a little sad to say, isn't it?  Claiming you "really know" someone from YouTube.  But it is possible I think.  We'll see what this race holds for everyone, but there are already people in this one I don't like so I'm not sure.  That's all I have for TV right now.  I don't think all of my shows are back just yet, but they should be by next week.  Also, Vikings is back on Thursday and I couldn't be more excited!  I should have a review of that by next Tuesday, so if you're into that, be on the lookout!

    For Thursday I think I'm going to be talking about the book I'm currently reading called Born Digital, which focuses on understanding our generation of young people as they master new technologies.  Even for someone like me, born in the beginning of the growing digital age, there are still some things I don't understand about today's technological advances and how kids know how to use them.  It should be interesting and I'm reading the first six chapters, so I will do an overview of that with a book review to follow after I finish in a few weeks.  I want to start getting back into doing educational or English-related blog posts on one of my blogging days, so let me know what you think about that and any topics you'd like for me to discuss.  I will be updating and monitoring my Good Reads account a little better to let everyone know what I'm reading right now and what I plan to read in the near future.  Now that I have a lot of downtime, I'm hoping to at least start a new book, but I have to decide which one first.  Until then, homework awaits!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

There and Back Again

    Hello again, and welcome to my terrific Tuesday post! (alliteration is key)  As you might've guessed, not a whole lot has happened since last week.  I saw my nephew again this past Saturday and he's still ADORABLE.  Unfortunately that might be the only good thing to happen within the last two weeks.

(Which one is cuter?)

    Although I do still feel indifferent over the whole unemployment thing, I'm starting to get antsy, sitting at home all day either reading for class, typing up assignments or looking for jobs.  I feel like I started in a good place and now I'm back in a meh state of mind where I definitely don't want to stay.  I have a promising interview a week from Thursday, so we'll see how that goes.  Right now, that's my only promising lead, having been dropped from the contenders list of the first job I applied for already.  Fingers crossed for some good news!  Luckily I got called to substitute next week so, baring the inescapable weather conditions, I could be bringing home some bacon, (if only that were really true...)

    Speaking of jobs, I had my secondary education intern orientation this afternoon and I feel really good about all the prospective intern sites at my disposal.  Number one being my alma mater middle school, with two in close proximity to where I live being close second and third.  All of the schools have a lot to offer, and right now I'm thinking I might want to give high school a second go, but for now all I can do is wait and see what happens at the open houses next week, (again, weather permitting).  I swear to God, if these blizzards all pile on top of each other the ONE WEEK I have significant life decisions to make about my future, there will be HELL to pay.

    In YouTube news, video footage released on the first of this month by Shay Carl Butler and Corey Vidal announced some new information regarding the popular and much-anticipated documentary feature Vlogumentary, which will hopefully be in theaters this coming summer.  Obviously they couldn't say too much without giving stuff away, but we shall see the final product soon, which is more than we could say about a year ago when all this started.  To say that I'm excited about this would be a severe understatement.  You can view the two video announcements here:

    Well that's about it.  I'm pretty sure I had more to offer you today, but sadly I left my blogging planner at home and have since forgotten what I had originally planned to do for today.  More to add to next week!  Thursday I will be talking about the various things that happened in TV this week as well as other stuff, (probably).  How's that for a vague description?  I will also hopefully be starting observation work in addition to my open houses next week or this week, so stay tuned for more on that!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

PS: THIS JUST IN!  SNOW DAY TOMORROW!! HUMP DAAAYYEEEEE YEEEAHH:)

An Update On The Life of Someone Who is Unemployed

    Howdy-ho everyone, it is officially Thursday and I am officially still not hired by anyone in particular...  Oh well.  That being said, I have made some progress that I assumed was impossible, given the current state of things.  Since being let go on Monday night, I have received one email notifying me that my resume and application are currently under review as well as an impromptu phone interview yesterday with a company that may allow me to work mainly from home, which would be super sweet!  Not sure what I'd be doing exactly, but I'll take it.  Fingers crossed for me to get a job by the end of February! (or hopefully sooner than that, if I keep progressing at this pace)

    I forgot how hard and long applications can be, (that's what SHE said?).  It's annoying filling out all this information that you think is unnecessary.  Most applications take about an hour to complete by themselves, let alone creating a completely new cover letter from scratch for each job you are applying to.  You have to be convincing and you have to sell yourself, both of which I am terrible at.  Just yesterday, after my random phone interview, (which I was NOT expecting, let alone prepared for), I remembered about a dozen things I could've said that I'm good at that would've made me seem perfect for this job, but alas, I never said any of those things.  Instead I told her where I lived...which I'm sure is important, however not viable enough to warrant giving me the job.  Hopefully I don't screw myself with my inability to speak directly to people...
    Although this has been a shock to me, my family has been very supportive and caring in my time of need.  My husband was the first person to bring me ice cream, which has helped me immensely in coping with my unemployment.  I've accepted it and have hopefully moved on to a better place, but I'm glad I have my own support system who are willing to help me with anything, including finding another job.  I'm not the type of person you'd think would get fired, and they know it, so it's nice that they have my back.  It's always good to have people in your life who know the real you and who love you for who you are.

    So while I'm dealing with all of that, I still have homework and various reading assignments I have to do, (like the one I should be doing while I'm doing this instead...oops).  Technically this is also homework, so it's justified.  It's tough to juggle all of this together at once.  Like yesterday, my phone interview happened right as I was about to leave to catch the bus to campus, and because I thought the call was important, I stalled in getting ready and was then late to catch the bus, (after running, in the cold, both up and down the hill behind my house, then had to trudge back up again).  Needless to say I was exasperated, but I'm not sorry I took the call because I could get that job.  Sometimes it can be hard to decide what's more important, and I'm sure I'll have to make more of those decisions as the days go on as well as in the future.

    On a completely different note, as some of you might know I am completely obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  There is another reboot in the works from Michael Bay, who will probably ruin it, but at this point I'm not one to judge.  Recently there were pictures leaked of the turtles in all their CGI glory, along with a possible movie poster.  Supposedly the pictures have since been pulled by Paramount, but you can still see the turtles for yourself here.  Although I am extremely skeptical about this production, I will obviously be seeing it in theaters this summer to either confirm or deny my suspicions of a horrible reboot.  More on that to come, as soon as I get a glimpse of a trailer.  I found out about the turtles pictures on Nerdist News, which is a subdivision of the Nerdist Channel on YouTube.  They cover various nerd news and updates on popular nerd culture, so if you're interested in anything from Skyrim to Dr. Who, you can watch Jessica Chobot here on Nerdist News and explore more of the Nerdist Channel.
    That's all I have for today.  Tomorrow I will be posting again on my ENGL 889 page about sponsors in literacy and how they shape the way we write, read and perform in schools, (and outside of schools).  If you'd like to follow my progress in the "Walk My World" project, you can do so through my Instagram link as well as through my Twitter page.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.
   

YouTube Drama and The Life of a Hermit

    I hope everyone had a fabulous post-holiday weekend!  It definitely feels like January now...  These frigid temperatures are set to stay with us up here in the north east for awhile, so I'm trying not to skimp on heat.  That being said, I have spent a great deal of time indoors as of late and I am not ashamed of it.

    Whilst inside, I have been paying close attention to the drama that has risen out of YouTube lately dealing with Grace Helbig.  For those of you who don't know, Grace is a YouTube personality and classy individual who, until recently, uploaded video blogs to her main channel "DailyGrace" on the MyDamnChannel network.  Since her contract with them seems to have expired, Grace has chosen to start over on her own channel, thus preserving her content, (since MyDamnChannel wouldn't let her keep her old content on the "DailyGrace" channel siting copyright issues).  It seems as though Grace and MyDamnChannel had a falling out of sorts, however everyone seems to be happy now and Grace has her new channel from which to control her own content.

Subscribe to Grace's new channel here!

    This is all well and good, but when you move channels and go from over two million subscribers to less than 500,000, it takes a bit of wind out of your sails.  Grace has not asked any of her original subscribers to switch, however the Internet has taken it upon itself to educate the masses and let them know what's going on.  Grace's many friends through YouTube, including author John Green, Mamrie and Hannah Hart, her brother Tim, and many more came together to draw awareness to this change.  The amount of YouTuber support throughout this ordeal has proven to be very beneficial for Grace and extremely uplifting.  I've never seen this type of support before from an online community and it was great to get to watch all these people support Grace in her endeavors.  She still has a long way to go, but if she stays true to herself she should be just fine, if not better than before.

    As you may know, I've been following the YouTube community closely since the beginning of last year, (it feels weird to say that...).  I have 52 subscriptions and watch a few vloggers religiously every day, including Grace.  Seeing as my viewership has varied over the course of a year, I plan on experimenting and exploring with new channels and people this year, including Grace's new channel, in order to track her progress.  It's been an exciting year for YouTube and I can't wait for what this year brings, including the YouTube documentary Vlogumentary, which is set to come out this year.  If you want to know what's happening in the YouTube or online community as a whole, check out Tubefilter, "the curator of online video," including news, reviews and more.
    In other news, because of the new year, my husband and I have decided to implement some new rules and goals for our lives this year.  One of them being the "no spend" rule for January.  This idea came from my wonderful mother-in-law, who practices this rule as well.  All you have to do is not spend any money you don't need to spend.  Obviously bills and groceries are necessary, but going out to eat, going to the movies, shopping for clothes, etc. are off limits until February.  That way we have money to save for more important things.  It also teaches us to appreciate the things we have and enjoy ourselves from home, which I have no problem with.

    That's it for today.  I'm in the middle of a Star Wars marathon with a cup of coffee and I plan on continuing throughout the day.  I've also started reading Divergent, so if you have any questions for me about the book, or anything about reading in general, I will be answering them on Thursday through my Twitter account with the hash-tag "#LaxDivergent"  Tweet me your questions, comments and predictions! (if you are reading it with me for the first time)  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

PS: For your viewing pleasure:

Jimmy Fallon Late Night with Justin Timberlake: "History of Rap"

   

The Dark World and The Fate of the Future

    I hope everyone had a great weekend!  My trip to Vermont went smoothly and involved some hiking, some drinking and some much-needed down time.  With that being said, since I've been home I've done almost nothing but this YouTube project.  Although it's been difficult to interpret, I've had a lot of fun exploring YouTube as an authentic frontier to a new era of social media production.  Hopefully my paper reflects how I feel about my efforts, but I can't make any promises, (to myself...because it's my grade...obviously).

    I've been thinking about my future a lot lately, not just mine either, but ours.  Now that I'm married, I have to think, feel and act with another person next to me all the time.  It's not like I can't think for myself anymore, but there are now factors in place with every decision I make.  I can't just do whatever I want; I have to think about the needs and desires of another, and vise versa.  Sometimes that would seem like a good thing, especially if both parties agree on what they want and have similar tastes.  On the other hand, it sucks if you are completely different people and desire different paths.
    I'm not saying that I think my husband and I are incompatible because that wouldn't be true.  We love each other and there's nothing that can change that.  I just wish that I could be as flexible and willing to do the things he really wants to do, just as he's sacrificed things for what I wanted to do.  Even just watching a scary movie together would be an accomplishment and a step in the right direction, but I don't know if that will ever happen.  I need to want it to happen, and I don't think I'm ready yet.  I don't know if I'll ever be ready, for anything, other than what I want.  But I guess we'll see.
    This means I have to be willing to move away from here if need be, if it's better for us elsewhere.  I need to learn how to accept things and "go with the flow" more than I usually do.  I'm more of a structured thinker: I need to have order, a plan and a means to an end.  I can't just go do random stuff without thinking about it first.  That's not how I role.  I'm a very boring person who would be completely content with living out the rest of my days here in New Hampshire with my husband and our nuclear family.  I don't feel the need to explore the world because I have everything I want right here and I'm content with that.  I'm a simple person and I don't need much.  Just love.

    Now that that's out of the way and I'm fresh out of deep shit to give you, let's move on to something else...  My husband and I have been watching "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." as a part of our obsession with all things Marvel, and I noticed today in the previews for tonight's episode that they would be continuing the plot line from Thor: The Dark World.  So, as any nerd would think, I figured we needed to see the movie first before we watched S.H.I.E.L.D. so we would understand what's happening.  So my husband proposes an impromptu movie night in order to get caught up, (and see one of the movies we've been dying to see for quite awhile).  It was nice to get out of the house, and the movie was even better than I had imagined!  With plenty of secret after-movie footage to rack our brains, we can't wait for the next one!  Don't worry, there will be no spoilers of what could potentially take place in the next installment of The Avengers or Thor...not from me anyway ;)

    So that's basically it for me.  I've got a least two other projects and the revision of this last one to do before the first week of December when all my classes end, so I have that to look forward to...  On the bright side, I'm subbing Thursday and Friday so I get to see some of my kids!  Plus next week is Thanksgiving and we will both be going to my uncle's house for the traditional turkey and fixings as well as an added Italian bonus in the form of home-made lasagna.  My mouth has been watering for a week already, so you can imagine how excited I'll be in a week.  On another bad(ish) note, Black Friday will be right after that...I'll write more on that next week I'm sure.  As there are many awful shopping days left, there are also plenty of good days that will not ruin my holiday spirit.  It's close, I can feel it!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.