Since Picture Yourself has been broken for some time, I decided it was time to set up a Flickr: Picture Yourself group. Please feel free to share your “at arms length” photos!

And while creating groups, I set up one for my fellow Shopaholics, because sometimes it is impossible to resist taking pictures while out shopping! Then I had to create one for Galveston, since I just returned from there. Because I took my wedding tiara with me to Galveston, I created a Tiara group also.

I had a root canal done earlier today. My head is throbbing. I’m not up to talking at the moment, but I can handle creating groups. Groups rock!

Tomorrow will be our one year wedding anniversary - can you believe it? I can’t believe it has been a year already. We are celebrating by returning to the Tremont House in Galveston, where we had our wedding reception last year.

In honor of our anniversary, I will be posting all of our wedding photos to Flickr! But for now, I’m heading to the Island!

I went to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith today. It was good, the battle scenes were cool, and I managed to do the majority of the leg of my second sock while in the theater. Yes, I managed to knit a sock in the dark.

I’ve never been a huge Star Wars fan - I saw all of the movies when they originally came out with the exception of Episode I (which I heard was pure crap anyways), but I just have to say that if I could have seen the movies in the real order (1-6, as opposed to 4-6, then 1-3) then I would have known a long time ago that Luke and Leia were twins - instead of finally finding that little tidbit out 20+ years after the first movies came out.

(Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever live that one down.)

My first sock!

The yarn is from Knit Picks, and I figured out the “Magic Loop” method to avoid using DPNs. Size US 2, 40″ Addi. I used the 56 Stitch, 56 Row sock pattern that Donna recommended, but I tweaked it for my own foot size - and it fits perfectly!

Now I’m speed knitting sock #2 because I have other things I *really* want to be knitting, but this guy must have a mate first.

Do you have a blog? Is writing in some form a part of your daily routine? Do you dream of someday writing for a living? Do you wonder if you could really do it, and what a life like that would be like? It is all about the jewels, the jets and the parties, right?

As a part of The Virtual Book Tour, I have just finished reading Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times. (Now available at Amazon.) Kevin Smokler edited the collection of writing by a number of of authors, and it is a fabulous insight on what being a writer is truly about.

The book is divided into three sections; “Beginnings” features essays on the process of becoming a writer, “The Writing Life” shares insights on what being a writer is all about, “The Now” deals with issues in the publishing industry, and ”The Future” focuses on where it is all going.

When I first looked at the book, I saw names I was familiar with - Pamela Ribon, Dan Kennedy, Neal Pollack - and others that I had not heard of before, but now want to be sure to check out. But the book wasn’t about the names to me - it was about the stories. The genuine glimpse into the life of a writer. It was like checking out the “behind the scenes” clips on your favorite DVD; a chance to see what makes it all work.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a relatively quick read, but one that I spent time with, rereading different parts, soaking it all in. It inspired me to want to do more, whether it is to write, to photograph, or to simply create. If you have ever wanted to write a book, read this book. If you love to read books, read this book. I honestly recommend it, and it will have a treasured spot on my bookcase until I take it down to have Kevin sign it for me someday. (He’ll be on the road for the book tour - be sure to check and see if it stops in your city!)

Take your talents and use them wisely, make the most of them. If you need some inspiration, read this book.

Last time I did a VBT post, I took questions from others about the book, and I felt like it really helped provide more insight into the book then I might have otherwise. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I would love to answer them.

The Clapotis, complete! Made using 7 balls of Plymouth Yarn “Bella Colour” in color #17, a blue/grey blend. The yarn is 55% cotton/45% acrylic and can be machine washed. I used a US 6 Addi Turbo, but in hindsight I wish I had used a US 7. It was very hard to work on this again after working on the lace - the yarn did not have a lot of give, and it was noticeable because I felt like I was forcing every stitch when I picked it back up to work on it.

I already have the yarn for the next Clapotis I will be making - the Blue-Faced Leicester yarn from Paradise Fibers in the Bordeaux color that I love, just like Julia’s beautiful Clapotis. Matter of fact, I bought the yarn while sitting next to her in a panel at SXSW!

Love means to love that which is unlovable, or it is no virtue at all; forgiving means to pardon that which is unpardonable, or it is no virtue at all.

- G.K. Chesterton

I’ve been down and out for a few days with a major tooth infection. I have had the joys of painkillers to ease the pain, which is a good thing. I need them today. Not for the toothache though, but rather because I think I might beat my head on the wall.

We’ve had issues all school year with Jason and his Language Arts (formerly known as English) class. He tests well in Language Arts - his teacher told me this morning that his TAKS test results even indicate he should be in the advanced class that he is in. But he has butted heads with her all year long, and today? Today is the final straw.

Last week, they were given a project to do as a group. They had to create a poster with various items. Jason had to come up with laws for a community based on what they were reading in “The Giver.” His group each had a piece of the project to do, and that was his. He came to class the next day with nothing done. The kicker? He told the teacher that was because he really, “had a lot to do at home.”

There is just one problem with that - he didn’t have a lot to do at home. Matter of fact, he has had review sheets to study for finals, and that is it. They turned in their books before the tests even finished, so they started studying awhile back.

So she gave him another shot, and left him in the group. Again, the next day, no work completed. So she informed him that he could not just coast through and get a 100 with the other kids if he wasn’t going to contribute to the project. It wouldn’t have been fair to the other kids - a point that I completely agree with her on. She told him that if he wasn’t going to do the work, she was going to pull him from the group so that they wouldn’t suffer - and she told me that he responded that that was good, because he preferred to do it himself.

Just one problem. He didn’t bother to do any of it then.

A major grade, the last grade of the school year, no way to recover from a zero, and he didn’t do it at all.

His excuse to her yesterday? He couldn’t turn in the poster because we were too busy this weekend to get a piece of posterboard for him. (Hmmm… probably because he never asked for any posterboard?)

His excuse to me this morning about why he didn’t do it? Because the teacher was being mean, and that made him not want to do it. (Obviously, that excuse didn’t go over very well.)

I think I’m going to beat my head on the wall. He just tossed his solid B in Language Arts out the window. Since I found out about the project this morning, the day after it was due, if he turns it in tomorrow the best he can get is a 50. It is a project about his opinions on things for a community. It should have been a fairly easy A or B grade. I just don’t get it. I don’t get it at all. And I know it’s not just me - every mother of a teenage boy between the ages of 13 - 15 that I’ve spoken with recently is dealing with this exact same struggle. AUGH!!! What is it? What is causing it? What can I do to fix it? WHY??? Why, why, why? Why would you just not do the project at all? Why the complete lack of accountability? What on earth can I do?

If anyone has any tips, words of advice, wisdom to share - or if you just want to share what you’re going through right now - I would appreciate it. I can’t keep banging my head on this wall.