Remember when I was going to buy fresh flowers once a month? It was on my 30 things to do while 30 list. Well, is it too late to start?! NO!? My roommate and I went to the Farmer's Market yesterday! We have two colorful bouquets and I have taken about 55 pics. I was going to post a bunch of pics today, but decided to stretch it out for the week.
Oops. It has been 4 weeks since I have hiked. 6 weeks since I have hiked Crowders Mountain. Of course, things have changed for the green.
Sometimes so much leaf cover makes everything darker and spookier. I felt like I was in the deep forest today, and I was on edge until I saw other fellow hikers.
Sometimes, I hate hiking alone, and not just because it can be risky. Sometimes, and this is becoming more and more often, I dislike hiking solo because I have no one to share the beauty with. My friend agrees:
"Hiking alone is like going to the movies alone. There is no one to discuss the show with afterwards."
Will I feel like that about everything I see in Alaska? Not just hikes?
I love the texture on this tree.
I almost stepped on this dude's head:
I have never seen a snake while out hiking, and he took me by surprise because I didn't see him until he was underfoot. But I doubt he is harmful. Anyone know what kind of snake he is? Janson, the snake expert, care to guess? I found him on a trail in the Piedmont of North Carolina, less than 5 miles away from South Carolina.
I love a good secret message. I especially love when it is located in a not so obvious place. A tiny surprise gift for looking at the small details in life. A message from an unknown person to another unknown, but deserving, person.
This one was placed in an obvious location, but if you drive by too fast, you will miss it. I have been wanting to develop about 10 of these pics and put them in rest room mirrors in various locations. Maybe on my way to Alaska...
This one was a bit more secretive, I saw it under a railing while hiking:
And this one was at McDonald's one Friday:
I have been lurking around this site for a while: Shutter Sisters. It is about time I participate in a challenge.
To answer all the questions left after my last post:
I got a job offer to teach first grade in Anchorage. (Or Los Anchorage, thanks Dave).
OF COURSE I accepted it!! Hoorah!!
I am delighted, and I will give it everything I got, even if it is only for a year. Not saying it definitely will be just a year, but it will definitely be at least one year.
My mom is delighted, but nervously so.
I will be blogging the entire trip and stay there, you can find it here: http://nyncak.blogspot.com/
I am currently looking at studios in Anchorage to live in.
I still have 2 grad classes to take to complete my masters degree, and of course I ain't leaving without that. I have poured 3 years of hard work into it. So look for my move in late July to early August.
My random thoughts for Wednesday, May the 14th, I would like share with the world.
1. I really need to go hiking. This week has been busy, and I just want to walk it off. I want the wind to carry my stress away, even if it is just for a few hours. When my alarm clock goes off at 6:30 am this weekend, I will greet it enthusiastically.
2. What is it about the f-word that takes everything to the next level? Huh? A friend seems annoyed with me this week, but her use of the f-bomb to convey her annoyance just makes me so angry. Like do not ever talk to me again angry.
3. Nothing annoys me more than a student lying.
Student 1 to student 2: "She (meaning me) said to take out the blocks"
Student 2: "Really? We can?"
Student 1: "Yeah, she said you can take them out and play with them. Just you."
I never said that.
4. I don't like The Weepies. There, I said it. I do not understand the hype. I see the love for this band on 92 different blogs, and so I ordered my own CD. Not impressed. Sorry. I tried though.
5. Let me end this negativity on a positive note, because I am really a positive person just having a bad day. And you are going to wonder why I am having a bad day when I give you this news, but it's most likely because I don't have time to take it in, celebrate or bask in glory. Also I knew it was coming:
I was offered a job teaching in Alaska today. It is officially official!!
Congratulations!! You have just made the life changing choice to move to the 49th state, beautiful ALASKA! What will you do now?!
What to do, what to do?
1. Finish the school year. I have been in this school for 6 years, 4 in the same classroom. I have a lot of stuff to clean out.
2. Finish my master's program. Technically, I graduated yesterday, although I would have received a blank diploma if I had walked the stage. I have 2 and a half more classes left!
3. Visit NYC - going to see my peeps, and the Yankees, next week.
4. Spend time with friends, family and cat. Lots of time with them.
5. Hike often. I haven't been to my favorite state park in over a month! Hike with family and friends.
6. Save money, and beg for a gas card. Gas prices will be killer driving to Alaska this summer. I will be shocked if I have any money when I arrive.
7. Plan route to Alaska. Looks like I will have some friends going with me for the ride, so camping will definitely be in. And thanks to this wonderful woman I have a copy of the Milepost!
8. Start looking for apartments. I won't decide until I get there. But adn.com and craiglist. com have been very...insightful in the search.
9. Clean, sell and donate goods, storage. Repeat.
10. Keep working out...I have been doing fairly good. Okay, I am lying, I fit exercise in when I can.
With just 4ish weeks of school left, here is how my 16 kindergartners are acting:
Oh, how I will miss them. They are a great bunch of kids. I tell them about Alaska, show them on the globe.
"That's far!!"
They think I am leaving them, but I tell them no, they are leaving me to go to first grade. Still, it makes me very sad that I won't be there to greet them in August.
P.S. We should have gone to the zoo on the last day of school!
