A White Ayyam-i-Ha!

It's beautiful outside, especially because I'm inside. It's that nice, white, heavy snow that drapes on trees and bushes, and slushes up sidewalks and roads. It's pretty to watch, but not so much fun to, say, walk to class in.
Today, like many days, I felt behind. I'm tired of feeling behind. I'd just like a class where I was the one with the better background than the rest of the class. Rather than having two different professors expect me to know material that nobody told me I needed to know and that, in fact, I was expected to learn it in that class! I'm tired of having to ask questions, asking the prof to slow down because I don't actually fully understand, of still not knowing definitions two weeks after we've covered material because I'm learning 40 definitions at once.
My flourless chocolate cake that I made on my day off is delicious. I got to have a day off, it was wonderful. No schedule, no people to meet, no assignments to do. I got to take a nap on the couch when I wanted to, go Ayyam-i-Ha shopping, take a detour on the way to the grocery to see a waterfall just because I wanted to. Buy amazing ingredients to make delicious food, and then make some of it. Thai Coconut Chicken Soup is yummy, especially when there's chocolate cake for dessert and pumpkin bread for breakfast.
My apartment is decorated with signs that I made last night when I refused to go to bed because it was the first night of Ayyam-i-Ha. They also attest to the fact that I never did really get the hang of arts and crafts, but I made them and they make me happy.
Swimming today was extra difficult for some reason (could have something to do with the cake... hmmm....). All of us in the lane felt like we were dragging along. Except when I got to do a 250 breaststroke. There is something about that stroke. Maybe it uses the muscles I use every day, as opposed to things like freestyle or backstroke. I am against backstroke, because I feel like I'm partially drowning the entire time. I did manage a 25 of butterfly today.
I shared a lot of our family's Ayyam-i-Ha traditions with C today at lunch. It was fun. Plus remembering all the great music I grew up with... We Wanna Grow Up, Pajama Time, Warm Fuzzies, We Recycle, Come and Sing With Us Together, Ayyam-i-Ha is Here, the Ayyam-i-Ha tape with Grandpa Sears, We Recycle, Aunt Hoochamagoocha. Good times, fun music.
"Warm fuzzies feel so good, they make you feel just the way you should. Warm fuzzies feel so fine, early in the morning or at half past nine. So when you're down, and feeling sad, go get a warm warm warm warm, warm warm warm warm fuzzy!"

As February flies by...

I got to see the lunar eclipse tonight! Plus Orion, the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and many other stars.

I graded my students' first prelim, and I'm quite pleased. My section's average is higher than the class overall's average (8 sections total). Everyone in my section was over 60, compared to the class mean of 71, we had a mean of 77! I didn't have the highest scorer, but I did have 2 that were one point below! I'm proud of them.

I'm loving teaching, but realizing just how much I have to learn. Preparing lessons is boring, the actual teaching is fun. I already feel connected to my students, and we're only 5 weeks in!

My own classes and work get in the way of time spent planning awesome lessons, so they just become clear but rather uninteresting overall.

I have algebra class 4 out of 5 days a week. Only, on Mon/Wed things don't necessarily commute, but Tues and Thursday they do. It can be confusing for one brain.

I'm searching for a thesis advisor and research area, with some narrowing of the fields.

NEBYfest was so wonderful this past weekend, exactly what I needed. Seeing old friends and new ones, driving youth from the area on a fun car ride, complete with singing, silly chat, sharing of junk food, and meaningful conversation. The music was awesome, the talks were thought-provoking and action-inspiring, and the jazz devotional was the best devotional I've been to in a while. I did not feel like I was on this Earth for a while, except for the feel of the floor on my legs. Witnessing youth coming together to rehearse and prepare music for devotions for the next day was such a blessing. Eating gluten-free pizza two nights in a row was delicious. Walking up and introducing myself to random people was exciting :), finding out who they are and what they do. Seeing Rainn Wilson in person, watching him smash a guitar, and listening to his talk was great. I really enjoyed his comments, and felt they were very fitting for a Baha'i actor. There were of course, "The Office" jokes that I didn't get, but he can be a funny guy. The ride home was too eventful, leaving a bit of a bittersweet taste... scary times but the joy of Divine protection.

Ayyam-i-Ha starts in 5 days! I go home in 9 days! The Fast begins in 11 days! This is the best part of February!

Three favorite quotes from the weekend:

"We should soar in love, not fall in love." - Martin Kerr (singer/songwriter)

"Seeking the approval of men is many times the cause of imperiling the approval of God." - Abdu'l-Baha

"Love is the cause of the manifestation of truth in the material world. Love is the essential bond of union which exists between God and all things in their ultimate reality. Love is the source of the greatest happiness of the material and the spiritual worlds. Love is the light by which man is guided in the midst of darkness. Love is the communication between truth and man in the realm of consciousness. Love is the means of growth for all who are enlightened." - 'Abdu'l-Baha