Don't speak so loud

Today was my first outing with my new mentee. We went to Chuck E. Cheese (which she mentioned twice at her last meeting). It was fun. I learned lots about her (picked the data doodler prize over the fairy wand), about myself (expectations), and what our future relationship may hold (she thought everyone was staring at us in McDonald's because I was talking too loud--more likely because I was the only Asian person in there and with a black kid!). The commute is going to kill me though. I traveled 4+ hours today on bus and subway. There's just not a lot to do close to her house. E spent the entire time with S; he thinks he may have the harder time. :P Note: she was really scared of the character; E said he would be, too.

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day--rainy, windy, and not according to plan. I had a doctor's appointment and had arranged for it to be during the Parents Bible Study so I would have built-in babysitting. Everyone was sick. I had arranged to have breakfast with a gal at a restaurant just across the street from our usual meeting place, too bad no group. I did find a mom to watch S at her place; have never carried S in her stroller up and down stairs so much. Silly me decided to still run errands--elevator was out at Columbus Circle. The stairs were so steep this time I just stopped a guy and asked him to help me. But I did get a New Living Translation Bible/ Life Application Edition (40% off with Borders Club coupon!) for my friend who visited church with me last Sunday. I'm excited for what God is doing in her life! And I did get a notebook for today--I thought it would be fun for my mentee to write/draw in it during our long bus/subway rides together.

I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment--my chapter is very nearly final and I sent off 2/3 of my survey reports. Now only if SPSS would cooperate and make graphs that actually reflect the data! Just got paid for my additional survey work which is always good.

I signed my contract to teach at Trinity this fall, was pleasantly surprised that the pay was more than I thought it would be. Got the vacation calendar...very important of course.

For Memorial Day Weekend we're off to Vermont for a marathon and to visit a good friend. Ben and Jerry's Factory Tour anyone?

Recent read: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (enjoyed the book more than the movie); Model Student (novel if you like watching ANTM)

Recent viewing: Finally watched Pulp Fiction; not sure I entirely was seduced by its charms but I probably need to see it in historical perspective...like when I watched Annie Hall and was like, ah, the predecessor of When Harry Met Sally!; Also saw the Broadway production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses with Laura Linney and Ben Daniels--never watched the entire movie, was pretty engrossing.