Fall Notes

Some things I've been up to lately:

1. Enjoying Germany and everything German. This is the first semester I've taught German I in a couple years, and I have rekindled my love of Germany with this group of students. They are so curious and hungry (both figuratively and literarily) for knowledge of Germany and its customs. This has inspired me to embrace Germany this fall. I've made spätzle, this peach kuchen, and bratwurst with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes (a fav of mine). I went to Schweinehaus, a new German restaurant in Memphis for an Oktoberfest celebration, taking in the food, drink, and Masskrugstemmen (stein holding contest). Here are some photos! (Can you guess which dinner I made and which dinner Schweinehaus made?)

 2. Book clubbing. My book club took an extended summer respite, but we're back on, and I'm glad for it. We just read The Informationist by Taylor Stevens. It's a quick international thriller, not super eloquent, but very engaging.

3. Pottery Class. The ceramics teacher at my new school offers classes for teachers after school. Sign me up for every single one until the end of my career, right? In our first class this year, we made mugs. Once I get it fired and glazed and am enjoying coffee out of it, I'll do another post, but here's a tease.

 4. Map My Running. I am notoriously late to the party when it comes to technology, especially running technology. (I only recently even started running with headphones.) I have discovered the Map My Run app, and I see it as a watershed moment. No longer am I chained to my preordained route, as measured by my car odometer. I can track my pace and splits and distances! WATERSHED! I'm running in a half marathon in one week, so we'll see if it watersheds my time as well.

5. Bulletin Boarding. Avid Pattiwagoneers know that I would quit my job tomorrow if I could become a professional bulletin boarder. My new school does not have community bulletin boards. Travesty, I know. But where there's a wall, there's a way. I volunteered to make this GIANT sign for the cafeteria. (The arrow moves w/ velcro, and the X comes off as well.)  It's 14 feet tall, no joke. I'm happy with it, but it did take approximately forever to complete. I'm in the process of turning a community dry erase board into a bulletin board, so hopefully I'll be able to continue my quest to become the most decorated bulletin boarder in Pinterest history.