Slice #1

And then there was one.

The last car in the parking lot. The last to click off the light switch. The lonely click-click-click of heels on tile. When you’re the last teacher in the building — when even the administrators have thrown in the towel — a school can be a very lonely place.

The copy machine groans as it’s turned back on. I should be sleeping, it’s thinking. (Ditto, I think.) It develops a strange moaning sound as it spits out the handouts for my presentation. Does it always make this noise? In retaliation, it leaves a single black line going across every page and runs out of staples at packet 100 of 200. That’s ok, I think. I love hand-stapling. I welcome the karma that comes to me for procrastinating on this project.

I pack up my cart, and it’s not until I’m on my way out, walking down the long empty hallway, a janitor’s supply cart peeking around the corner, that I realize the organism that IS a middle school when all the students and teachers are there. How bereft of life it becomes when we all leave and only a few rows of lights still glow, casting shadows from locker banks. Though it’s impossible to find a moment of solace from 8 to 3, when you have it like I did tonight, it’s nothing to relish. It leaves me feeling uneasy. Unsettled.

I’ll take the hustle and bustle. The whirlwind of adolescent turmoil and glee. The half-eaten lunches and snippets of teacher gossip and complaints. (Hmm..I could probably do without the latter.)

I guess I learned two lessons tonight: stop procrastinating for goodness sake, but most importantly, accept that the chaos — well, it just feels right.

Slice #23 - Vivian Maier, a Talent Hidden

Vivian Maier's work at Chicago Cultural Center Exhibit

I secretly wish I could have a secret talent that went undiscovered.  A secret genius.  Like Vivian Maier.  I was first exposed to Maier's work in a TimeOut Chicago article about her April exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center.  It was the picture below that caught my attention.

I don't know anything about photography, so I'll probably sound ridiculous using any terminology, but, even to a lay person like me, this photo had life, texture, and grit.  I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  I had to see this exhibit.

What's more, the article revealed that Vivian Maier was no publicizer of her work.  In fact, she wouldn't let anyone see it.  She never even had the tens of thousands of negatives that were found after her death developed. She comes across as a recluse and (in my diagnosis) a candidate for Hoarders. Could it get any more intriguing!? I pound my fist and say, no, it can't.

Spring break came around, and when M asked me what I wanted to do, (while I was reading another TimeOut issue) I happened to be looking at the museum section, and saw the listing for the exhibit again.  "This."  His response was a sigh, but because he loves me, we went.  Hey, we were going to see a comedy show later that night anyway.  Fun for all. 

The exhibit was wow.  It was a party for my eyes.  It made me want to learn how to take photos like that.  It made me say, "How does she DO that?" 

I think there's a book and a documentary in the works.  I can't wait to get my hands and eyes on those, too. 

See her discoverer's blog for more party for your eyes: http://vivianmaier.blogspot.com/

Slice #11 - All Caught Up

I've been behind since week one, so I might be breaking the rules, but I had to do another Slice today so that my slice number matched up with the date again!!

I'm all caught up with my slices and
I'm all caught up in the planning of a marriage!

We will soon send out what was sent to us in this box.  Our family and friends will soon share in the love we've been all caught up with since we met each other.

I love being all caught up!  Ah.

Holidays 2010

I love this picture of Colin "in action"! Especially with the name of the toy in the shot: Colin in "The Party Surprise". Super cute.

Let's all go the movies!

After hearing that Matt had never been to a drive-in movie, I knew I had to step in and correct this.  I remember going to the now-demolished drive-in in Aurora when we were little and loving the feeling of being outside on a warm summer night with snacks and a couple of shows. We found one on Rt. 34 in a town called Earlville, which is usually a stop on the Ripp's bar tour, but had no idea there was more to Earlville than Jake and Ellwood's Bar (site of the infamous cell phone in the bar sink incident).  As you can see, Earlville's drive-in has stuck true to drive-in form.  Screen, speakers, parking spots.  Nothing fancy.   I'm glad that the owner didn't (or couldn't) remodel and add unnecessary luxuries.  I wanted Matt to get the real drive-in experience.  As you can see from the sunset, the rain we almost got washed away in on the way there subsided to a beautiful sunset while we waited for the movies to start. 

IMG00087.jpg

A pic-a-nic basket!

We found this little beauty at Target on clearance for $3.74 and we're going to fill it with our own goodies!  Who needs to spend $30+ on a fancy pre-packaged one?? 

We've already purchased two plastic wine glasses and two plastic plates. (see pic)

First destination: Ravinia on Tuesday for a CSO and Joshua Bell concert on the lawn!