So Glad I'm NOT Still 14!

Besides a myriad number of issues swirling around in my head right now over job, personal life, etc., I can still say that I'm thankful to not be 14 still. Why am I making that comparison you ask? Well, I just finished Lucky by Rachel Vail this afternoon and found its annoying 14 year old protagonist and drama completely annoying! Honestly, I thought I was following the story, but it would keep taking these over-dramatic lunges left and right as the girl, Phoebe, would move from reasoned thought to complete melodrama. Sigh...so thankful am I for having a fully developed brain...at least I think it's fully developed. :)


So, Lucky is about a bunch of really rich, snobby girls, and Phoebe's family goes through "financial trouble" (but still manage to live in a mansion with a maid/nanny, but can't afford a $445 dress...hmm). It pretty much circles around this story of angst that Phoebe has over her family's trouble, her relationship with a psychotic girlfriend who's a complete biddy (in my opinion), and her anxiety over some boy she liked since 6th grade. WHY did I read this? This is one case where it's solely meant for a non-brain-functioning preteen, and not a full grown adult who merely wanders in and out of teen fiction to keep up with what her students are reading. I'm not saying it's awful, in fact, I think Vail probably did a pretty genius job of depicting 14 year olds, but as for me...I want to now scream and go pull out my copy of War and Peace so that I can get my sluggish brain cells up and running again!

By the way, it's supposed to snow like a maniac today and tomorrow, but the sun is pouring through my bedroom window. Loser forecasters! I was going to use the snow as a reason to hunker down and read, but now I feel obligated and must go put on my exercise clothes and head to the gym. That will for sure bring on the snow and make it impossible for me to drive home! Also, I had my birthday this last week, which was actually really nice. I finally feel like I've made a home and family for myself here, which is saying a lot for a single gal. People stopped in and wished me Happy Birthday, I had my door decorated, students sang, cards were left on my desk, etc. It's funny though. I dreaded this birthday more than I've dreaded a birthday in a very long time, and so these wishes reminded me of what I had...and not what I didn't and don't have. Let's hope that the "biological clock" and fears of needing something like "eHarmony" will fade in my panic stricken heart for another year!

P.S. Maybe I'll talk a bit later about my GRE, doctorate program dilemnas. Yes, this PhD thing is still haunting me, which makes me think that it's really something I'm supposed to do. SCARY! I'd love to go to school, just to have all of that great, academic stimulation again, but holy cow...what work! We'll see, but I'll definitely say that it's a very real possibility for me at this point.