I Spy (Inspiration): Summer Desk

{My desk in our study at the end of August, late-night}
Recently at work., I offered to launch a new teacher-blog (participation optional) at our school, since I'm not the kind of person who thrives on crunching data, serving on committees, or coming up with innovative workshops. As a result, one of the sweet, talented new teachers said to me encouragingly, "Oh yes, I understand that you're sort of the resident blog-expert?" I was slightly mortified that this dorky persona was now a part of my professional identity, and quickly assured her that I am simply a mild-mannered hobbyist and in no way an "expert." However, the conversation did make me ruminate on my blogging ways these days, and I realized that it's become a great outlet and a way for me to stop and look around at what makes me happy and inspired on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, no matter how tough the grind might be otherwise, or how bland I might be feeling. It allows me to think, write, and be light and frivolous; between work, life, and "serious" writing projects, it's refreshing to take time to breathe, reboot, and reflect.

{Beloved favorite Marc Jacobs slouchy medium satchel - coal-black perfection, butter-soft with gold hardware - a wedding gift from my husband. Knife-edge 14k-gold wedding band. Essie nail polish.}
So many moments, visuals, favorite items, works of art, meals, people, etc. lend a bit of spark and joy to one's day, and often the centrifugal force of balancing work/life blinds us to it all. I'd like to take the time to snap photos (although my skill and camera could both stand improvement!) of these little moments, hence the regular feature "I Spy (Inspiration)." (Trust, this won't turn into straight journalistic rambling - that's far too confessional for me.)

My desk in our study, shortly before the school year started back up, was a summary snap-shot of my end-of-summer obsessions. I was writing a lot (novel in progress for about 548 years now..) on my dinosauric old PowerBook, reading dark, moody novels, craving fall fashion with its macabre jewelry and smoky accessories (hence toting my fave black bag), and working on mini-style/craft projects. The notebooks, Post-Its, and clippings were handy for exciting thoughts. In the mail-holder, you can almost see my friend Dana's business card. He and his beautiful fiance Lauren have a creative business together - they are painters! Their work is incredible; I think it's so romantic that they share their artistic pursuits.

{Josie and Jack, a novel by Kelly Braffet}

This novel is described by one reviewer as being "a deliciously satirical confection as dark as black licorice ... a twisted fairy-tale that will forever spoil your appetite for typical coming-of-age novels." I'm paraphrasing somewhat, but it's spot-on. I accidentally (I swear!) stole this book from a Border's when I was doing school work there a few years ago. I hated one of my grad program classes, so I would do everything I could to put off doing work for it, including writing papers in such a distracting environment and skimming interesting novels while I "took little breaks." When I left, the book fell in my bag along with my work pile (I swear!) and I ended up devouring it that night. It's so dark that I don't think I even appreciated its brilliance until last month when I gave it a re-read while soaking up my last summer sun and drinking Bloody Marias in the back yard - could not put it down. If you're more cupcakes and sunshine, this novel might not be for you, but if "gorgeously written, re-imagined, Hansel and Gretel modern-day allegory" rings your bell (toss in chiseled cheekbones, home-schooling by brilliant but deviant/mentally-ill abusive parents, running away to NYC, sociopathic manipulation, eroticism, desperation, charisma and alienation), give this a shot. It's artful rather than melodramatic (once you let yourself get into it), and the narrating character's voice is so strong that you feel like she herself is telling you her f-ed up story, which I think, for a writer, is far easier 'said than done. ' Truly worth at least a couple of reads.

Now that I'm back to lesson-planning and grading, time is as precious as air, but I'm going to strive to keep up with my blog. Dorky, yes. But I yam what I yam, and look forward to keeping my eyes peeled. Happy Fall! xoxo