Back to blogging with pictures

I'm easing my way back into blogging.

It's been almost 6 months.  I haven't even allowed myself to read other blogs because I didn't want to get sucked into those again if I was not going to be keeping up with mine. I know, doesn't quite make sense, but that was my rule.

I have missed reading about all of you out there and am not even sure if I will understand all that you write now since I have missed out on a huge chunk of your blogging lives.

My return to blogging will begin with November photos of the day (promts by Fat Mum Slim - as usual).

Here is a recap of the first week+.

1. Fruit - In my blender - for a smoothie.

2. I did this today -  After talking about eating bugs as I was teaching literacy to a group of students, one of the students said that her mother makes them.  I, of course, said I wanted to taste them.  A week and a half later this came to me in my classroom.  I ate a few at school, took the rest home.  I wasn't sure if they were supposed to be sprinkled on top of the cactus (YUM!) salad or not. I did not.

3. P is for - dance practice in the subway station.  No one looks twice at people who do things like this in the subway. I'm getting used to not making it seem like I think it's cool, but I still sneak pictures occasionally.

4. Table - chili while grading - gotta love my colleagues

5. I collect - a new visa for my December trip to India; process was not that bad after I went all the way back home to get proof of address since it was not listed on the website as something I needed to bring with me.

6. Music - went to a salon for a regular hair style and got my hair washed (by someone else) for the first time in over 12 years; I didn't realize I missed the sensation.  If you look carefully, you can see the little red radio on the right by the door that was playing a huge variety of music.  I was the only one in the shop which made it a much more pleasant experience than I remember salons being.  Didn't leave until almost 11 pm, though.

7. Yes - Doonya - not only have I been a horrible blogger, I have not been attending Doonya as often as I did before winning the weight loss competition last winter. I won free unlimited classes for a year, and have not really taken advantage. I gave out a big old YES when I finished, because I love how it feels to workout and I love dancing to do it.

8. Someone I miss - I can go a long time without talking to family, but I love them dearly and love when I do talk with them.  My dad had back surgery on Friday and I was waiting to hear some good news. Mom's text was nice to see.

9. Mine - In my new place (not that new - been here since August) I actually have a couch.  Haven't had one since moving away from StL.  Last place was too gross to bring in decent furniture.  It unfolds completely flat and is actually really comfortable for sitting, grading, napping, watching tv (which is fairly new since I didn't do that much when I was at the other place since sitting on the yoga mat was not conducive to tv watching. I must say, that most of my tv watching is on the laptop or tablet with Hulu+, though.  Need to get a device to allow me to watch them on the tv.

March Photo-a-Day: Week 4

Last photos of the month.  Prompts by Fat Mum Slim.

March 26 - Something you did

26. When I walked through a new area of the Bronx, I saw these.  I love that mannequins are full figured, now.

March 27 - Pair

27. Went to a open-house of sorts for Girls Who Code - computer coding training for high school girls trying to get them to go into computer science fields.  These hs girls from last summer made some awesome apps, programs, and video games.  One pair made an app that helps disabled people find subway entrances, and facilities that are accessible.  Another pair made an app that helps people tell homeless people where the nearest soup kitchens and shelters are located.  Another pair made an app that lets you input the flavors of food you desire and it spits out the nearby restaurants that will match your tastes.

March 28 - In the mirror

28. I was happy to see my family and friends in St. Louis, I was also really happy to be reunited with my car in St. Louis for the extended weekend.  So nice.  And the weather was amazing - I was able to open the roof and put the windows down and see myself smile in the mirror.

March 29 - Goodnight

29. I don't watch tv in NYC.  I watch Scandal online on Saturdays.  It was nice to watch some tv in StL.  I watched a lot of House Hunters and caught some of the History Channel special The Bible that I kept seeing people talk about - good nights of tv watching.

March 30 - Relax

30. It was really nice to be able to get to easily accessible parks while in StL.  This was Forest Park by the Art Museum.  I went to a park three times over four days in town and did some running with fresh, clean air and not a lot of people around.  Relaxing.  If you look closely, you can still see the leftover snowmen that were made four days before my arrival to town on the hill.

March 31 - Stuff

31. The weather was amazing in StL.  Especially considering that it had snowed over 12" four days before I arrived.  The temperature reading in the car said this when I got in, but settled to about 69 while I was driving around doing stuff.

March Photo-a-Day: Week 2

Photo prompts given by Fat Mum Slim.

March 12 - In the distance

12. Saw this woman on the subway.  Kind of looks homeless-ish/disheveled, though more colourful and wearing Beats headphones - which I still don't understand why even the small ones are close to or over 100 dollars American.  Not homeless-ish.  Just eclectic and adventurous - as seen often in NYC.

March 13 - Sound

13. A cappella group from Rochester University came to sing for the 9th graders.  I had one of the free rooms before they performed since I was on my prep, so as I graded, I was fortunate to hear them warming up... especially since I don't teach 9th and didn't get to hear the actual performance.

March 14 - Tasty

14. Found a new place to get lunch on days when I don't bring in my own. I had the delicious, yet comically named "Breast Munchies" and might switch it up next time by trying the also comically named "Breast Rider" (without onions).

March 15 - Explore

15. In an effort to help the girls at school see women doing jobs that might typically be predominantly male, and to help them get ideas about what they want to do once they finish school, the school hosts Cool Women, Hot Jobs - 80+ women talking about what they do and how they got there.  Awesome.  When it was complete, I started to question myself about my job... there were so many awesome ones out there.

March 16 - 9 o'clock

16. This week was really full, exciting, and draining.  I did Doonya three nights, went to a Doonya DVD launch party on Thursday (not getting home until midnight then getting back up at 4:30 for school), worked to get student work graded before Friday since it was the end of the marking period, and chaperoned a dance on Friday evening.  Good times, little rest.  So on Saturday, at 9:00, I was still in bed.  Took this photo at around 9:20 when I forced myself to get up.

March 17 - Green

17. I'm not one to celebrate St. Patrick's day, but did where green because my current go-to scarf is this circle scarf that is so warm and comfy and wonderful and I love it and want to wear it all the time.  I also found out on that day that the same saint is the patron saint of Nigeria.  So next year, I have to remember to get some sort of "Kiss me, I'm Nigerian" shirt.

March 18 - Shoes

18. One thing I enjoy about rainy/snowy days is that I get to wear my rain boots.  They are different from the typical black, and I like that.

March Photo a Day: Week 1

Photo prompts selected from Fat Mum Slim.

March 1 - L is for...

1. Learning more about Harlem.  There is so much history in the area.  I often catch people taking guided tours,  like in the photo, and want to join one day so I can learn about the rich history of the place.  There are so many names all over the place - building names, street names, graffiti on walls like in this photo - that mean a lot to the history, that I just don't know at this point.

March 2 - I made this!

2. Ok. So I didn't actually make the Doonya DVD, but I have been taking the classes at least three times each week for over a month.  I love it and feel like it is helping me get back in shape and helping me love working out again.  I can do different dance moves and often feel like I'm in a  Bollywood movie dance scene during class.  I am excited that the creators just released the DVD (you can get them on Amazon so you too can feel Bolly-tastic as you shake your hips!)

March 3 - Key

3. The key to a successful business is to pull in customers.  I'm not sure if this business is showing sagging pants on purpose, or if it was accidental.  The one in the yellow really gave me the giggles!

March 4 - Lucky

4. I'm lucky to have met Camille when she was in St. Louis and getting started with her jewelry business.  Now her company PeaceImages is blowing up and still treats her customers with awesome care.  She made these earrings for me.

March 5 - Under

5. Under the city are subways that help me get just about anywhere I need/want to be in NYC.  They are truly filthy a lot of times.  There are places that I have seen be repaved with fresh cement, only to go back three days later and see it recovered with chewed gum and other filth.  Despite the path of trash on the tracks, I do like the lines I captured in this picture, though.

6. Chair

March 7 - Fear

7. Heat is given to people in the city by oil.  This is an oil truck hosing oil into a local business.  I am always fearful that someone will cause a spark and a huge fire each time I see one of these ubiquitous trucks.

March 8 - Favourite

8. I love that I am up early enough to still see the city looking nice when it snows - before there are footprints everywhere and before cars have splashed the crisp whiteness with specks of brown.

March 9 - Faceless self-portrait

9. I have my hair in bantu knots, so I look a little weird in shadow right now.

March 10 - I want...

10. ... to win the lottery.  Enough said.

March 11 - Important

11. These signs are everywhere. In every public building I can remember being in in NYC.  I guess there must have been some huge accidents in order to get these up in each establishment.

February Photo a Day: Week four

Last images for February (sorry for the delay... I feel like I have been super busy especially after healing from sickness and laryngitis).  Picture topics provided by Fat Mum Slim.

Feb 19 - I am...

19. I am confused about lotion wipes.  I'm not really sure the reason for them.

Feb 20 - Where I stood

20. There was a time in my childhood when I would have loved these shoes that I saw a subway ride wearing.

Feb 21 - Full

21. A basic necessity in my daily facial care.

Feb 22 - Makes you smile

22. Good times with teacher performance in school talent show.  I whipped my hair back and forth in this wig.

Feb 23 - A word

23. Now I understand more why I almost made the school burn down.  These words are scattered all throughout the school on various fire alarms.

Feb 24 - Cloud

24. There were several days of cloud coverage.  On this day, there was a brief moment of blue sky which I captured and a sea gull flying over, too.  Too bad it was actually in the twenties in temperature.

25. On your bedside table (I don't have one and didn't feel like taking a picture of the bare floor next to my bed.)

26. Quiet (didn't experience any really good quiet moments... plus forgot to take picture)

Feb 27 - Playing

27. The Department of Education finally stopped playing and I am finally going to get paid correctly.

Feb 28 - Upside down

28. A student saw this on my desk during my efforts to alleviate my laryngitis.  She thought it was a condom wrapper and asked why I had it on my desk.

February Photo-a-Day: Week two & three

Two weeks worth of photos with prompts by Fat Mum Slim.

February 5 - Something you smelled

5. The amount of funk that some ballerinas produced in the studio prior to my fitness class was unbelievable! Even from the lobby, shown here, you could smell them when they opened the door. I thought ballet people were supposed to smell dainty and like flowers and candy.

February 6 - Soft

6. My first pairs of non-white/black socks ever.  I decided to go pretty bright.

February 7 - Your name

7. This sandwich had my name written all over it at lunchtime!!

February 8 - Something orange

8. I think this place might be selling the mannequins, but I'm not sure.  The orange coloring and the provocative poses always gets my attention, though.

February 9 - Guilty pleasure

9. Didn't really feel guilty eating these, but it was a pleasure.

February 10 - 3 o'clock

10. Snow did not fall as much in Manhattan as it did in Long Island, but it was enough to shut some people down from wanting to clear their cars.

February 11 - Entrance

11. Lost a pair on the way to work.  Replaced them with these peaceimages pieces that arrived in the mail on this day.  Love the!

January 12 - Where you ate lunch

12. I did not eat this for lunch but a student tried to sneak it into my classroom (freshly popped and aromas going all over the place) for her lunch.  I wrote more about it here.

February 13 - Walking

13. walking - I wrote this past week about how I may have caused a fire in the school.  Here is a picture of the front area where the fire happened.  I'm still trying to understand how the security people and the others in the front hallway did not contain the fire with the fire extinguisher right there (two doors from where the fire took place - as well as one in the room directly to the left of the fire location), or make some calls to people who could before it became to big and I had to stand outside for an hour with no coat and a thin-ass sweater before walking to another school who would be our safe-site.

14. love is - Sometimes love is something as simple as sharing a box of Nerds.

February 15 - Inside your fridge

15. Pretty bare until my Sunday (this week Tuesday since I didn't have to work) runs to Trader Joe's.

February 16 - Perfect

16. Great brunch with great people after a great workout.  Good times lasted well into the evening.

February 17 - In your hand

17. Friday at the end of the school day, I spilled some tea onto my laptop.  I started first aid on it that day and did surgery on it Saturday and Sunday by removing various keys and cleaning them several times.  I felt really technologically competent - especially after it still worked and all the keys went back on the correct spaces.

February 18 - Something you don't like

18. I was craving something sweet.  I couldn't think of what I wanted, so I bought these.  They are not tasty.  They are pretty disgusting.  Throughout the day, I ate three anyway.