Well, here I am right in the middle of my lovely winter break. It's fantastic. I am really excited to be able to do ... well, a whole lotta nothing! I have been reading a lot of books -- all for thingsI am going to teach next semester so I am not stressed out for not having read them until right before/during when I teach them.... But so far I have read, oh, 4.5 books for school and 1.5 books for personal pleasure. It's nice. I am really on a roll! Anyhow, I finally got Gayle to sign up for a myspace account, which is fun, and I may sign up for a friendster one within a week or so. We'll see -- they are becoming too much to keep track of at this rate. Anyhow, I suppose I had best go and make a list of yarns I need to knit myself a kind of poncho thingy. More later! Hope the holidays are being kind to you!

Well, it's true -- I will (most likely) be teaching drama next semester. But the sure thing is that I will be teaching IN THE BIGGER ROOM! That's a nice little perk. They interviewed three people for the job yesterday, and I guess two were...somewhat less than qualified and the other is very new to teaching. Like, this will essentially serve as her student teaching experience, but she is supposed to have really good energy and be really enthusiastic, and as one respected colleague told me, "She could be VERY good at this." So I am excited to get to meet her soon (assuming she accepts) and to get to work with her. It'll be different from working with Crystal, but it will be nice to have someone who is also young (I was minorly concerned that they would hire some strange and grumpy old man for some reason). I think she'll be really happy at the school, and hopefully we can have fun with our connected rooms. That would be something, wouldn't it? And who knows, maybe I'll gain another friend up here in NorCal before the year is out. Unfortunately for her, they are going to ask her to come in and observe me a couple of times next week. I don't know what I am supposed to be able to offer to her, especially when we are supposed to be reviewing for finals and I'm not really doing much teaching, but oh well. I am just excited that I may get to meet her before the break. Anyhow, I suppose I should stop going on about this lest she not accept the position and it's all for naught or something.... :) More later, I imagine.

Love,
Annabel

Well, it looks like I might soon be teaching drama, but we'll see how that goes. You never can tell with these things. All I know is I love minimum days, and I have one tomorrow. Now, I don't get to go home like the kids do, but I get to sit in a meeting with the rest of the faculty, which is always highly entertaining and a lot of fun. And it's so much easier to be the student than the teacher (except for the homework). Anyhow, enough about work. Mike and I are going to play our favorite video game, Champions of Norrath, in a few minutes, so I don't have long to write. I have my first staff Christmas party ever that I'm actually going to attend. All those years working at a year-round Christmas store in Solvang and I dodged every last Christmas party. I always had ballet or something, but this year it looks like I am finally going to be able to go. I'm quite looking forward to it, and it's an "adult" Christmas party, meaning I'm sure everyone will be more entertaining than ever. :) Well, on that note, I suppose I am going to get going. More later, I am sure. Hope you are all doing well, anyone who's reading this!

So life in The Midwest is interesting. Lots of nice Christmas decorations though. Just had an interesting week at school, as the other half of the department resigned last week. Lots of whisperings in the staff lounge and conversations that stop as soon as I walk in the door. Think it's just me being paranoid? Gotta wonder. I love Fridays with the whole weekend spanned out in front of me; makes me not want to go to sleep so it might last longer. What to write, what to write. What am I supposed to write knowing anyone could look this up and easily know the things I only want certain people to know? Suppose I can't trust it then, and will have to reserve those thoughts for emails. Mike and I are debating going up to Tahoe tomorrow, for the umpteenth weekend in a row.... Wish I had that 4x4 pickup truck right about now. Ah well, perhaps next winter. :) Anyhow, to all of you who read this but who may not talk to me that soon, happy holidays! More in a day or two....