A minute late

More than once I have glanced at the dashboard clock and inwardly groaned that despite waking up hours before and running ever since, there was no way I would arrive at my destination on time. This morning was a case in point:
7:38 reluctantly roll out of bed (not exactly early bird, but I climbed into bed after midnight, and require 8 hours per night to function properly)
-see the shower cleaner on the counter and ask myself whether cleaning the shower is necessary, and do I have time?
-spray glass, lower 1/3 of walls
-wash hands, make bed
-wipe down, rinse shower, clean self
-stand in closet for 5 minutes, knowing that I don't have 5 minutes and that staring at my clothes won't improve them
-dress in a black and white tweedy skirt and 3/4 sleeve black sweater, knee-highs, heels
-apply make-up, grab earrings, realize once downstairs that backs aren't attached. No time to run up and get earring backs
-greet children, ask if they've made lunch (knowing they haven't--I always do)
-While eating banana, grab granola bars, trail mix, peanut butter crackers from pantry, tell kids to choose 2-3.
-M asks what's for dessert. Allow them each Reeses pieces
-grab myself granola bar and gum (knowing that if I don't come home before class, won't have chance to brush teeth--yuck), work bag, run to car
-run inside for E's shoes
-drop off M, pick up A's friend, drop off A and friend at 8:42 (2 minutes late)
-head for church distribution to buy M's scriptures (turned 8 in early Sept., won't be baptised til November. Was reminded of need to buy scriptures when a student shared her excitement and anticipation re. getting her set when she turned 8. Hope M not too crushed at our oversight--imagine not).
-Arrive 8:49, store not open until 9:00--can't imagine what we'd do if we stay and wait.
-Remember car needs gas--go to nearby station
-Back at 8:58; other people waiting (such eagerness for church materials!)
-Buy scriptures, but embosser not here til 10:00--will have to return (Wonder, Does the embosser do anything besides emboss? How many hours is s/he employed? How did embosser become qualified for job?). Wish I'd known and saved a trip.
-Determine to go home instead of to Kohl's to return A's dress (N bought dress for her after determining that A and I weren't efficient dress shoppers. Grateful to be finished with task, I didn't complain re. cost or lack of versatility, but after A decided not to wear it Sunday--too Christmassy (sp?)--N suggested dress be returned. Later we found that Grandma had also bought A Christmas dress--sealed the deal). Will instead go home now and go to Kohl's when I have time to use $10 coupon recently removed from newspaper.
-9:20 return home, determined to leave in 10 minutes
-Brush teeth, put on earrings, use bathroom, ask E if she wants to use potty at home or school. E: "Home. Kids at school mean." Me: "Kids at school are mean?" E: "No, nice."
-Leave at 9:32, drop off E, drive to campus, arrive 9:47, think I'm in good time, remember I have to pick up copies
-At crosswalk see prof I think I know (but think that hundreds of profs look similar from behind, with white-gray hair and bald spot), talking with someone I don't know. Too self-conscious to dart past until through cross-walk
-Crossing campus, wish I had on slacks and flats instead of skirt and heels
-Wait for elevator, up 4 flights, down long hall, then return down 4 flights, 2 buildings away, down stairs
10:01 late again

Cake Balls, the recipe

1 cake mix, eggs, oil, water (as per box)
1 tub frosting
12 oz. chocolate chips (or dipping chocolate, or similar)

Prepare cake according to package instructions. Let cool.
Put cake in large bowl. Add tub of frosting. Mix with a large spoon.
Using a small scooper, shape cake mixture into balls. Feel free to use your hands.
Place balls on waxed-paper lined baking sheet (or similar). Freeze for a couple hours. Melt chocolate chips. Working quickly, dip cake balls in melted chocolate. Can use a toothpick. Place on clean waxed paper. Let chocolate harden. Enjoy.

I've made them only once (yesterday), and I have to say, I'm no expert at dipping things in chocolate. Next I plan to try German chocolate cake with pecan-coconut frosting (probably semi-sweet choc. coating). The flavor combinations are endless.

Why cake balls, part 2

1. Failing to come up with a clever title that captures who I am and what's important to me, I felt a random title was the next best thing.
2. Short and sweet
3. Surprising and memorable

back to the blogosphere

I have a short history of failed blogs. First, I started one for my kids, thinking that providing them with a real audience would inspire them to write (wrong). Second, I started one for parents of gifted and talented students in our city--I think I was the only person who ever visited the blog. Third, I started or joined a blog for instructors who teach expository writing for elementary education majors. Haven’t logged on in ages—can’t even remember how.

So, I'm a bit cynical about blogs. Will anyone read it? Will I keep it up? I haven't exactly spent much time reading other people's blogs, so I can't expect them to follow mine.

You may well ask, Why make another attempt? I suppose I'm driven by the guilt, hypocrisy, and irony of my situation: I am a writing teacher who writes less frequently than most people I know.

Why now? I think the impetus is, at least in part, a book I just read: Diary of a Provincial Lady, by E. M. Delafield. As I read the book, I couldn't tell whether it was novel or diary—to me it read more like a novel: it was too smart, witty, crafted—in short, too literary—to be a diary (and did real people ever really live and think like the diary's author?). (Wiki describes the book as a novel that is largely autobiographical.) Our book group host assigned us to bring a diary entry—an interesting, but somewhat challenging, assignment—I'm not used to writing diary entries for public consumption (i.e., blog entries). "Diary" connotes privacy—a locked book that girls hide under mattresses. A big obstacle in writing my entry was that I felt that it needed to be as intelligent and humorous as the novel. Much of Delafield’s humor lies in how she portrays her characters—my characters (and, to some extent, hers) are real people. Since I just moved and this would be my first time attending a new book group with mostly strangers, I didn’t have to worry about portraying people they knew, but I didn’t want to throw my husband and kids under the bus, give too much away, or appear snarky. My entry was brief.

At book group, one member asked if reading the book had inspired anyone to start writing a diary. No one responded directly, but I’d have to say, “Yes, I guess it did.” We’ll see how long it lasts.

Why Cake Balls?

a. Availability. Anyone who decides in 2010 to start a blog can't expect to get her first choice of URLs.
b. If you have to ask, you haven't tasted them.
c. I would love to produce writing that is delectable, concentrated, flavorful, addictive (for more adjectives, Google "cake balls"). I'm afraid my writing may be more aptly compared to bran muffins, but that's depressing.