Vacation blahs

You wouldn't think that since I work full-time outside of the home that I would get bored during a week-long vacation. Honestly, given the fact that I work with 13-year-olds day in and day out, I'd be savoring my free time like a wino with a flask of ripple. But, no. Now I'm bored. I almost did housework today to relieve the tedium. Yeah, almost. I'm bored, not crazy.

I bought a great book today - Seize the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It's part of her Dark Hunter series. I just love those deeply tormented heroes who are brought back to life by a caring, yet spunky, heroine. Recently, I've been really into this paranormal romance genre. I also picked up Kelley Anderson's Bitten, and enjoyed it. This one's about a female werewolf who has to rejoin her pack. I'm waiting on Kim Hamilton's next - her follow-up to Dead Witch Walking. Laurell K. Hamilton also has one coming soon in her Merry Gentry series that I have got to get. Waiting for the next JD Robb futuristic mystery is killing me! But, not as much as waiting for A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon. This woman is amazing. I started reading her work in 1992 with Outlander and have impatiently waited for all of her books to be published. She's a goddess among authors.

Yeah, I do love to read, and not just romances, either. I read everything from Harry Potter (which I love) to Jane Austen to Emile Zola to Nora Roberts and back again. I'm not exceptionally fond of reading science fiction, although I love watching it on TV. I don't get to do much of that anymore, though, with the short person in the house. We are a Noggin household. Oh, what's Noggin, you say? A channel full of pre-school programming. While I don't officially approve of plonking your child down in front of a TV and letting them vegetate there, I do like some of the programs on Noggin, as they actually teach something while they entertain. One of my favorites is Oobi. You'll have to check it out. Me, I've got a book to read.

Present Orgy

This year's festivities featured a Present Orgy, at which wrapping paper was shredded with reckless abandon. Imagine a 3-year old girl with a pile of presents taller than she is. Now imagine that 90% of said child's presents are Princess themed. Well, now we are in little girl heaven - Disney Princess Kitchen, Princess dress-up trunk, Princess Jewel box, movies, dolls, even Princess Panties. What a haul! She doesn't know what to play with first.

I made out fairly well, with the Duran Duran CD/DVD, and some other movies & CDs. Santa brought everything I asked for, so I must have been a good girl. The Mr. didn't do so bad, either. He's on his laptop, trying to beat the chess game I got him. Good luck!

Oh, you caught that? Yes, I'm on my laptop and he's on his, in the same room. I keep waiting for him to IM me and ask what's for dinner. That'll happen, I guarantee.

The Fab Five are Back!

And I don't mean Queer Eye, either. Simon, Nick, John, Roger, & Andy are back and just as good as they ever were. Santa was good to me and brought me Duran Duran's Astronaut CD and DVD. I couldn't wait to rip it open and have my virtual way with it! It takes me back to 1984 with my two best friends, Sara B. and Sarah J., listening to Seven andthe Ragged Tiger and trying to figure out who was destined to be with what member of the band. Of course, I was partial to Nick, while Sara B. laid claim to Simon. Sarah J., being the least grabby of us took John (who was distinctly chicken-chested at the time). Now, looking back, I can see I ran to form: if given a stadium full of men to choose from, I indubitably choose the gay one... Alas!

So, I'm sitting here with my headphones, silently lusting after these guys with my daughter glued to my side. I feel strangely shameful...

The DVD is a real treat, well worth the extra $5. The music is as bright and energetic as ever, with some lovely guitar work. I always felt like Andy somehow got cheated, as Nick's synthesizers dominated the Duran oeuvre. Not so, here. Perhaps he learned to speak up.

Mmmmmm, Manolos!

Is there anything as wonderful as the feel of new shoes caressing your arches? While they're not Manolos, my new shoes are just divine! I got them at, of all places, Target (pronounced tar-JAY, thank you very much). They're chocolate-toned pleather, fake croc, with a stiletto heel and a darling little bow at the vamp. I could kill cockroaches in corners with the toes on these suckers, too. I can't stop admiring my feet. I can't help but remember lines from Bye Bye Birdie (thank you, Ann Margret) "it gives you such a glow just to know you're wearing lipstick and heels." How 1950s, but, in my case, how true...

Pardon me while I wax rhapsodic over my footwear - it's been a long time since I've been interested in fashion. Somehow, being overweight dampens your ardor for couture. I'm sure I can lay the blame on the latest trend in TV - makeover shows. I'll admit, I love watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, What Not to Wear (although I prefer the British version with Trinny & Susannah), and the new Ten Years Younger. I should probably be on one of these shows myself...

Now, regarding shows like Extreme Makeover and The Swan, well, there's just something gruesome about getting yourself cut up and stitched back together. Ummm, Frankenstein? Hello? While I see the contestants' motivation, I still wish that people didn't have to resort to such drastic measures to feel better about themselves. I like that they give the women who go on The Swan counseling - that has to help them no matter what they look like.

For me, though, all it takes is a new pair of shoes. Thank God for Retail Therapy.

Very first post...

So, this morning, as I was browsing my friend Dave's blog, I was instantly transported back to about fifth grade. I caught myself thinking "All my friends have blogs, why can't I have one, tooooo? I wanna BLOoooooooG!" Oy, the whining!

Then out came the Mommy Voice with the practical questions - what would I blog about? Am I interesting enough to have a blog? Who would actually want to read about me? Although I live in the suburbs, a Desperate Housewife I'm not. No salacious material for me.

I pondered titles. I mulled over themes. I came up empty, thus leading me to believe that I really have nothing between my ears of any interest to anyone. Hence the title: vapid reflections of a suburban dweller. Because that's me. In the proverbial nutshell.

I'm a 34-year old wife/mother/teacher, firmly ensconced in the suburbs, with the requisite offspring and animals. I teach Middle School (hormones on the hoof) World Languages (French & Spanish), I mother a very adorable 3-year old, and I do the normal suburban things: bake cookies, decorate my house, and hang my laundry out on the line. Oh, sure, I have a Masters Degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures, and enjoy reading Zola, Sand, and Colette. I've traveled abroad, and I could bore you to death talking about why everyone should learn a second language. However, for the most part, I concern myself with my tiny, rather domestic, sphere.

So here it is, for the world to see. I'm letting it all hang out, as it were. I hope you find me more interesting than I do.