If a girl moves to the South...

and isn't married/engaged, does she cease to exist?

I'm beginning to think so. My first North Carolina friend got engaged this weekend. She has been dating this guy for just about one year. She's 23, he's roughly 10 years older than she is. And she is one of the last of her friends to get married. It's crazy. I'm sure Kristi can back me up on the fact that this would be pretty typical in Oregon as well, though maybe not the age difference thing. I'm now one of 3 ( yes, 3) never-married ( never-engaged) teachers at my school. When you include the whole staff, I think the number probably sky-rockets all the way to 4. There's me, a pre-K teacher, and the lone male teacher ( 5th grade). If you include the one-on-one assistant in my room, Gregg, then you get 4. THIS IS CRAZY!!!!

My family thinks that this should mean that there are that many more people to introduce me to other people, but I think that they are living on Mars. In my experience, it means that many fewer people. All of the engaged and married people spend time with their families and friends and don't have a whole lot of time for people who are not already part of their circle.

Sometimes, life in the career fast lane feels more like life driving illegally in the career carpool lane. I welcome your opinions.

Yay! I'm going!

Ok folks, it's official. I'm going to Switzerland!
I haven't talked to many of you since Christmas, but my biggest present was the promise of a trip to Switzerland/maybe somewhere warmer too over Spring Break. Laura is there and has the same week off, so it was gonna work out perfectly. Anyway, I finally found some flights that should work well and I purchased them this very evening.
I'm leaving Raleigh (after school ) on the 23rd of March and flying to Geneva, through London-Gatwick. I'll have to take the train to Laura's school in Brig, and from there we will go on all sorts of adventures! I leave Geneva mid-day on April 3rd, going through Heathrow and JFK before landing in Raleigh. I'll have to taker 2 days off school, but this is TOTALLY going to be worth it. Hooray!!!!
Just thought I'd share.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2006!