Enjoy the Silence

OK, so the DM song title isn't totally accurate, but I can't think of any other cool song title off the top of my head to adequately express what a fabbo few days it's been.

Last week was the week from Hell, work-wise. I'm teaching (more than) a full load right now, and all but one of my classes had large assignments due. I have a week to get everything graded and the work plus weekly grades back in students' hands, and normally this isn't a problem. But, oh, last week was different! The grading went well, but there was just so much of it!

In the middle of this, Mitch came home from CA (yay!) and so my attention was distracted, to say the least :-)

Long story short, I did get the grading done, and then had a great long weekend. It was the first weekend that Mitch and I were in the same state since before my birthday, so we went out for a post-bday dinner and movie. We went to one of our favorites places, Michael Dean's, and then to see The Illusionist. Why aren't more people talking about his film? I absolutely loved it. Granted, Edward Norton can basically do no wrong, but he was far from the only good thing about it. I loved the story, thought the acting was great, sets and costumes really beautiful, and the filming itself was really interesting. Lots of nice, unexpected things going on, cinematographically. I'd def. like to see this again, and will pick up the DVD when it's out.

Today was the first teacher work day we've had since Ethan started kindergarten, and it was great having a long, bonus day for us to all hang out together. We slept late, stayed in our jammies too long, then went out for some mall time, had lunch, took naps, etc. All around, a really nice, low-key day. This was just what I needed after last week! Ethan and I even finished reading >The Mouse and the Motorcycle at his bedtime. Somehow this Beverly Cleary gem escaped me when I was small. I think I may have enjoyed reading it as much as Ethan did hearing it!

Now I plan to take the rest of the evening easy, curl up and pour over my new copy of U2 by U2, and then watch Studio 60.

Life is good...