My office on campus

You guys, it's like the 21st century in here. Today I am blogging for the first time on my beautiful new iPad. I'm still waiting for the novelty of the touch screen to go away but I get it now. I totally get how someone could get sucked into the Internet by way of Apple technology. This is the view from my window. The theater looks out over the Olentangy River. I think we're pretty spoiled to have a window to the outside world and I'm looking forward to watching the seasons change from up here.

And thanks to Steve Jobs I can show you my office with the camera. The one built into my iPad! Dudes, my minds is blown right now.

So here's my office. I share it with other people but this is my little corner of solace at school. That's Gonga on the desk. He belonged to my mom when she was in the Navy and now he's my little reminder of home. He spends most of his time watching over my pencils.

It's Friday and that means my office hours are almost up and then I'll be heading out for a drink with some of my friends. What does Friday mean for you?

Love, Elizabeth

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Look what Elizabeth learned today

When I was a little girl, my mom kept a magnet on the fridge that said, “Look what Elizabeth learned today!” Sitting in the office at school earlier today, staring at the magnets on my desk, and making a mental list of all the ways I failed this week, I remembered that suddenly. And I thought how nice it was that that magnet never said, “Look what Elizabeth was perfect at today!” and better…”Look what Elizabeth totally screwed up today!” 

So in honor of my mom and that magnet, here are some things I learned (or re-learned) this week:

1. Sometimes it feels like the only thing keeping me upright are the breaths I take between things. Sometimes the breaths need to be extra-deep.

2. It can be difficult to reserve judgment about new things and new people. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.

3. I can look up to someone without having to become them.

4. It’s really important to be authentically, completely me.

5. I don’t have anything to prove. My worth is inherent.

6. So I can be transparent and flawed and transparent about being flawed because it’s okay for other people to see that.

7. I can give myself away without giving myself away. Know what I mean?

 

So share with me. What are you learning, re-learning, knowing in a new way as this week draws to a close?

love, elizabeth

First Day of School Essentials

Today is my first official day back to school for the autumn semester. It’s a strange feeling because this is the first time since I started college back in 2003 that I will not be in actual classes. But I AM studying and teaching and very, VERY excited about that.

Let’s see…

Cute first-day-of-school outfit complete with adorable vintage necklace I found in a box of my mom’s old stuff…check.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into triangles plus plum…check.

New planner for all of my planning…check.

Book from my specialization list because downtime is the devil…check.

Point and shoot camera to capture the day…checkity-check.

Off to face the day! If/when you were in school, what’s your first day essential? Don’t forget…GIVEAWAY MONDAY!!!

love, elizabeth

The Paper That Wouldn’t Die

I don’t talk a whole lot about grad school on here because…well, because my blog is my happy, safe lala-land place where I don’t have to cite my primary sources or think too far ahead. But I thought I’d take a minute to talk about how thankful I am for school. I love my school. I love learning. I love teaching. I love my faculty. I love my students. I love my tiny mailbox in the corridor. I love my desk in the office. I love my stacks of library books and the bigger stacks of ungraded papers and my goofy student id photo. I even love the chilly early morning hike from the parking lot to my classrooms. School has been a great place for me to grow and figure out who I am, what I value, and how I can best serve my community and make art I care about at the same time.

But people…writing the modern drama paper I’m turning in today was like…well, it was kind of like this:

Every woman becomes a slave to…the paper that wouldn’t die.

love, elizabeth

First Day of School Jitters

Tomorrow morning is my first day back at school. We’re on the quarter system and it’s slightly medieval, so that’s why we have such a late start date.

It seriously doesn’t matter how old I get, though, because the first day of school rolls around and I get a pack of butterflies in my stomach. You’d think it was the first day of kindergarten I get so nervous (you know, I counted yesterday and realized that if the university had grades, I would be in 20th grade this year).

It’s a good kind of nervous, mostly. I love school. Never mind that I’m an adult now, never mind that I’m teaching college students, I still find myself awake the night before, asking the same questions. Will I fit in? What if I’m not pretty or popular enough? Will the other kids like me? Will my students like me? What if my classes are too hard?

I guess the lesson here is, you’re never too old to get scared. I hope I remember to tell my children that.

So in honor of the first day of school, here’s a little blast from the past…

THEN

NOW

Obviously my fashion sense came at an early age. If that elephant sweater still fit…I would still wear it to class. Especially with polka-dots.

What about you? Anyone ever have a day as a grown-up where they thought, I’m not old to be doing this! I still need someone to pack my lunch and hold my hand when I cross the street?

love, elizabeth

PS: Fall giveaway the day after TOMORROW.