blissful, busy week

this business of not working is AMAZING! i've spent this week working on various projects for class, but mostly hanging out with friends. i'm trying to cram in as much socialness as possible in these last few days, because i will miss these friends dearly. tonight's agenda includes dinner with the evelands; dear friends from my college days. and heck, it's a free meal! good times will be had by all, i'm certain. :o)

bittersweet departure

tonight was my last night of work at kohl's. I've been looking forward to this day for...well...a long time. finally, i don't have to drive clear to west Knoxville just to work a 5 hour shift. finally, i don't have to pick up after sloppy men who insist on trying jeans on and leaving them in heaps. finally, i don't have to argue with customers about sale prices. finally. however, as exhilarating as it is to not have to deal with the retail business, i have made some very wonderful acquaintances in the year that i've been there. i was somewhat overwhelmed this evening at the parting goodbyes and good lucks i received. i never dreamed so many of them would tear up and hug me farewell. i even had offers of places to stay if (or in their words, "when") i come back to visit knoxville. i realized that i really will miss that obnoxious store...or more precisely, i will miss those folks i have spent countless hours working along side. end of chapter.

it's official

well, folks...it's official. i am a 1st grade teacher at yost elementary school! i really can't believe i accepted a 1st grade position, due to my great love for the older grades. and even more than that, i can't believe they offered it to me to begin with! buuuuut....i'll take it. it's a fantastic school system and it's the elementary school i went to as a kid. not to mention the fact that my mom is the secretary! hahahahaha it's gonna be great. the first thing mom said when i told her about my new job is that she can't wait to help me decorate my room. too funny. so, here begins the next chapter of my life. and i'm ready for it. nervous as all get-out, but ready. after all, first graders are so dang cute. :o)

thanksgiving in june

it occurred to me today that i have an awful lot to be thankful for. i'm thankful that this last class of my college career is a fun one, and not at all difficult or mentally demanding. it's a great way to finish up a degree. i'm thankful for a tight-knit family who would drop everything and do anything for each other. i'm thankful for the graciousness of my parents to let me move home and live with them for free. i'm thankful for the honesty and sincerity and downright silliness of my friends. i'm thankful for laughter and chocolate and baseball and thunderstorms. so, here's to thanksgiving in june.

home to me

much of the love/hate relationship i have with my little hometown is the fact that i can't go anywhere without seeing someone i know. when my brother and sisters and i go into town, we make bets on how many people we'll run into that we know. of course, it's a scientific figure, based on the number of places we have to stop, how long we plan to be there, as well as the time of year and time of day. but it never fails; we ALWAYS see someone we know.

i had to laugh to myself when i ran into a 4th grade teacher i know the other day in kohl's. the next day, i grabbed a bite to eat at tropical smoothie and one of my 5th grade students came in with his father. the following day, a mom of one of my students came in to kohl's. and tonight i saw a 1st grade teacher i worked with. clearly, knoxville has become my hometown. i sure will miss it.

5:19

matt wertz is one of my all-time favorite performers in all the world. this is a video of him doing "5:19" at a little shindig he did at a border's bookstore. here are the lyrics too:

I'd be lying through my teeth if I told you
That I'm ok
July came, I thought I had it all together
Until you said "I need some space"
Truth be told
It's so hard to wait

One eye on the clock
And one on the phone
It's 5:19....I'm feeling alone
If I could talk to you
I'd want you to know I'm holding loose
But ain't letting go.

We both know that I could think myself dizzy
Right now I'm spinning around
I know you said, "baby, don't worry"
But I just miss you right now
I miss you right now

One eye on the clock
And one on the phone
It's 5:19....I'm feeling alone
If I could talk to you
I'd want you to know I'm holding loose
But ain't letting go.

Baby, take all the time you need
I just want you to know
I'll be here, waiting

With one eye on the clock
And one on the phone
It's 5:19....I'm feeling alone
If I could talk to you
I'd want you to know I'm holding loose
But ain't letting go.

so you got a cd in the mail...

here you go, parham...the run-down....

Track 1: "On My Way" - Ingram Hill
*Tribute to my bitter, anti-love side.
Track 2: "Part of Your History" - Blue Merle
*The next feeling after bitter and angry...sad acceptance.
Track 3: "Bourbon Street" - Oval Opus
*These are usually silly guys from Cincy, but I love this cut.
Track 4: "Colorful" - Rocco Deluca and the Burden
*Live like you mean it. I just want to be colorful.
Track 5: "The Greatest" - Cat Power
*Sooooo chill. Love it.
Track 6: "5:19" - Matt Wertz
*This guy has some major sentimental value for me...but he really is amazingly talented as well.
Track 7: "Hot Burrito #1" - Flying Burrito Brothers
*Real random. I got this from a friend of mine in Chicago. He loves them.
Track 8: "Hypnotized" - Ani DiFranco
*Wicked cool voice. And she's been around forever.
Track 9: "Jackson" - Dave Barnes
*Love this guy. He's fantastic live...absolutely great. He'll be at Sundown in July I believe. You gotta check him out. And look for him on YouTube. HILARIOUS stuff.
Track 10: "French Café" - Marc Broussard
*Amazing vocal range. From Louisiana. He was at Sundown last summer. Super good. This is a tribute to my hope for "something more" in a relationship. "a world apart and an ocean away, just lovin' you, baby"
Track 11: "Still Amazing" - Josh Johnson
*Really young, local guy. He plays around here quite a bit.
Track 12: "Strangers Again" - Ari Hest
*More "I would've been better off never knowing you" music. :o)
Track 13: "Killing Me" - Graham Colton Band
*A great "i don't mean to hurt you" song.
Track 14: "Does He Love You?" - Rilo Kiley
*Can you feel the pain and frustration?
Track 15: "For Us" - Pete Yorn
*I just like him. I can't put my finger on what it is exactly. I just do.
Track 16: "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" - Colin Hay
*Yes, from Garden State. His voice amazes me.
Track 17: "Love Love Love" - Tristan Prettyman
* I love love love everything she does.
Track 18: "Write You a Letter" - Ray LaMontagne
*I heart Ray. There are no other words to describe it.
Track 19: "Home to Me" - Josh Kelley
*There's no place like home.

I can't say enough about music and the way it can move and shake a soul. So I'll leave it at that. Enjoy.