Day...er...six?

Two important ladies in my life....

Zoe. Soaking up the morning sun.

Me mum. Soaking up the morning sun.

John Mayer, whom I do not even really like as a musician and always thought a bit opinionated, wrote this on his blog today.

Stop acting careless. In fact, care more. Be vulnerable but
stay away from where it hurts. Read. See more shows. Of any kind. Rock shows,
art shows, boat shows. Create more art. Wear hoodies to dinner. Carry a notebook
and hand it to people when they passionately recommend something and ask them to
write it down for me.Root for others. Give more and expect the same in return,
but over time. Act nervous when I'm nervous, puzzled when I don't know what the
hell to do, and smile when it all goes my way. And never in any other order than
that.

I'm thinking he can't be that bad after all.

I'll have to give his music another try.

Being Productive

The chemist asked me the other day if my cough was productive.
I answered that it was indeed, very productive. So productive it could set up it's own little phlegm factory...CoughUp Inc.
Which is more than can be said for my last three days. Unproductive to the point that I couldn't even muster up the enthusiasm to pick up the camera. Shock!Horror!
Instead, I've been sleeping lots and dozing, listening to all that NPR has to offer in the way of music and the arts. Man, I love that site!

I've also stumbled onto more gorgeous photography blogs. Enough to turn me as green as the stuff that's....*cough*...well, lets not go there.
Instead, go to Mariah M Photography and whimper enviously at her amazing pics. From Mariah's site I stampeded across to Nicole V's post-production actions ....very similar to those of Jinky's . Must figure out how to make my own!
I haven't been fiddling around on Photoshop for the last four years for nothing, have I?
Yeah, I can make my own actions!

Well. Maybe later.

*cough*

These two pics were taken at the farmers' market at Tokai last weekend. I still can't believe I never bought anything! I was in full Cyclops mode.

The Last Week

Five days to go. I think there's nothing nicer in this world than break-up day. And teachers get to experience the thrill, the wildness, the sheer exhilaration of it every year.
Lucky us. This is payback for a job that, any other day in the school year is as demanding as that of an air traffic controller. So said some successful, celebrity-type ex-headmaster earlier this year when he gave an auditorium of Catholic teachers some strategies on how to manage discipline in the classroom. It stuck in my mind and I've been using it to dazzle anyone within earshot since then.
However, I've just tried Googling 'most stressful jobs' and am bitterly disappointed. In Ireland, it seems teachers only came fourth..after traffic wardens, vehicle clampers and voluntary workers!
In 2006, the BBC News reports that librarians suffer the most stress. Helloo?
All fellow teacher-librarians out there...much respect, dudes!

All that aside. I will be saying farewell to another class of nine- year olds. At the end of my first year I swore I'd never get so attached to my kids again.
But after a year of being mom, nurse, guide, cheerleader and friend who would not get a lump in their throat at that last hug goodbye?
Certainly not me.

Carpe diem, little ones!