Coffee Shops

I've started drinking coffee. If you know me at all, you realize the giant step this is. There are just some mornings that a medium coffee with cream and sugar from Dunkin' Donuts is a necessity. I don't drink it every day, but I drink it often enough to realize that I should probably invest in a coffee pot or French press and make my own coffee in the morning.

I also watch a whole lot of "How I Met Your Mother" with my roommate. But that's not so surprising.

It's been a crazy week. School is so chaotic still. We like to blame the strike, but eventually we have to realize that it's bigger than that. There is a lot of crap going on in the school and the city politically that is still effecting our classrooms, which sucks. We can hardly promise a stable environment to our kids if we can't promise we'll be teaching them tomorrow. Very frustrating.

You know what else is frustrating? No locally owned coffee shops within walking distance of my apartment. At least not close walking distance. I had to take a 10 minute ride on the bus and walk 6 more blocks to get to the coffee shop I'm at this afternoon. But, it's better than Starbucks. Not cheaper, but better. I'd much rather support a local coffee shop than a huge corporate coffee chain. Plus, sometimes getting out of my neighborhood is a necessity.

Want to know an interesting fact about my neighborhood? Three blocks from my apartment is the original Playboy Mansion. I didn't even know the original was in Chicago, let alone so close to me. Not that it really matters one way or the other, but I thought it was interesting.

The walls in this coffee shop are really white... Sorry, distraction.

I think I'm going to give highlights of the last week. Sounds like a good idea.

Monday: Story Tellers Writing Workshop. The theatre that Andrew has his internship meets at a local bar on certain Monday nights and write. It was great to have a reason to write, not that I need reasons, but I don't often give myself reasons. And I love listening to other people's stories.

Tuesday: I made fresh peach pie. It was delicious. Also, Adholl invited me to the JV soccer game. I couldn't go, and they didn't actually play, but it was nice to be invited.

Wednesday: I taught my first class, kind of. At times my cooperating teacher jumped in to help me. It went well, for the most part.

Thursday: I taught my second class, all the way through. It was pretty exciting. Nicolas, one of the problem students, did all of his assignment for me. Success!

Friday: I went to a dress rehearsal for a low key opera. The opera itself was sub-par, at best. But it was nice to be back in a technical theatre environment. Made me miss it, a lot.

Saturday: I took a nap. It was lovely. And I spent the evening dancing with some really great people.

Sunday: A lazy morning and a productive afternoon. It's closing in on four o'clock, and I got done the majority of my to do list. That always feels good.

I think that's enough for now. I will be better about posting more regularly. Or at least I will try.

Until next time.