Z

ZUCCHINI BREAD

The small group leading class the other day asked that we each bring in a cultural artifact.  I brought in the St. Luke's Lutheran Cookbook from Wishek, ND.  My mom grew up there, and I didn't realize how much I missed that small town until I flipped through the pages of this book.  The hotdish recipes remind me of my childhood, and the German foods, like kuchen and knoephla, make me want to sit and talk with my grandmothers for a long while.

My favorite recipe in the book is for zucchini bread.  It's been a while since I've made it, but the oil stain on the page tells the story of how often I used to try.  I've never made it as well as my mom.  And I'm sure I never will.

Mom, if you are reading this, could you maybe bake a loaf?  I'll look forward to eating it with you next week.

Y

YAWP

Did anyone else want to become an English teacher because of that scene in Dead Poets Society where Robin Williams gets Ethan Hawke to sound his barbaric YAWP in the front of the classroom?

X

X, THE

I recently reread one of my favorite short pieces to use with students:  "My Name" by Sandra Cisneros from House on Mango Street.  I especially love this part about Esperanza changing her name:

I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees.  Esperanza as Lisandra or Maritza or Zeze the X.  Yes.  Something like Zeze the X will do.

We've been playing around with names for the baby.  Any child with "the X" as a middle name is sure to have an interesting life.  William the X.  Sophia the X.  Yes.  I think something with the X will do.

W

WAITING AND WALKING

My running has been restricted lately.  This is due in part to a) pregnancy* and b) ill-fitting sports bras.  (Incidentally, b is because of a).  I've been waiting and waiting for a new, more spacious bra to arrive in the mail, but some sort of back order has the whole thing on delay.  In the meantime, I've been doing more walking than running.  And I miss running.  A lot.

* That's right.  I'm knocked up and am finally revealing it to the internets. 

V

VERISIMILITUDE

I've always liked this word but find little occasion to use it because I don't know how to put it in a sentence.  Please, if you could do that for me, it would be great.

U

Dave tried to help me think of a post for U on our way home today.

URINE

This was his first suggestion.  "No," I said. "I need to think of something that has to do with me."

"Urine," he responded.  "You pee really fast.  Like a race horse."

"Okay.  Well something that isn't urine," I answered.

UP-SPEAK

"Up-speak?  What is up-speak?"  I asked.

"I'll just talk for a while and then you'll know.  I use up-speak all of the time."

"Ohhhh.  Is that why people always ask you where you're from?"

"Yes."

"I get it.  But it still doesn't have to do with me."

UNDERWEAR

This was his next suggestion.  "You're not wearing any," he said.

"Well, true, but I don't want to tell the internets that."

(Of course, I am doing that now.  It made sense to go commando for the short ride home from the gym, though.  It was appropriate.  I think.)


UNANIMOUS

His final offer.  "I don't have anything to say about that," I responded, "except that I don't expect we'll come to any unanimous ideas here."

"True," he concluded.

T

TOMORROW

I start teaching my summer course tomorrow.  I'm a bit anxious, but it should be a great class.  I've been prepping and prepping non-stop it seems, and I still don't quite feel prepared.  But, the train is taking off and I'll be on it.

S

SPILL

Something must be in the air, because like others I know, I spilled on my MacBook.  Technically, I spilled near it and merely SPLATTERED the computer, but that was enough to do damage.  Milk leaves residue when it dries, and enough of it got into the trackpad to destroy its clicking function.  

The good news is that Patrick, at the Apple Store, assured me that everything major about the computer checked out diagnostically and would be fine.  I can still use my computer with a mouse or with the touch function, but I've already found a few instances where clicking is preferred.  I can replace the trackpad for a SUM of money, and I probably will at some point.  Just not yet.

Patrick did want to know, "You spilled the milk?  Not a child?"  No, Patrick, not a child.  And I vowed then and there to never drink anything next to my computer again.  But Dave did just bring me a cup of coffee and it's nice to SIP it here while I write.