August-time

August has always been my least favorite month. The novelty of summer has worn off- June's blooms hang heavy and wilted, the air is humid and tired, and boredom sets in. Worst yet, August means back to school. I know, as a teacher, it seems juvenile for me to cringe at the anticipation of another school year. After all, this is my life's work, my chosen field. And in some respects I am excited. When I was a kid, I loved brand new school supplies, especially brand spanking new crayons- the waxy smell, the bright yellow box, perfect crayon tips unspoiled by that kid that always pressed down too hard. So the equivalent of new school supplies to a teacher, I think, is brand new students. That first week is pretty magical. I can wonder about the amazing potential of these bright new faces until they prove me otherwise. And of course, I don't use crayons much anymore, but opening a brand new pack of fresh dry erase markers does have a certain appeal.

In other news, Dave got me a new camera for my birthday. Darned if I can figure out how to use it yet, but I'm working on it. So here's a picture of zoo giraffe that I'm particularly proud of.