Update

Having a great time at LRA 2012 with good pal Kate. One presentation down. One to go. Right now I'm eating the most expensive yogurt possible delivered to me by room service. So it's delicious of course. This morning I'll be learning about some critical digital literacies. And this afternoon I'll take in some info about discourse analysis and non-traditional texts. But first, I'll brush my teeth.

Delta Delta Delta

I am blogging from the airport. So that's pretty cool. Less cool is the flight delay they are announcing right now. This reminds me why it's worth paying more for a direct flight. Which, btw, I did not do. Maybe I'll get some exercise running to my connection.

In the meantime, I'll be looking at this adorable picture. And will probably ask the couple next to me to let me hold their baby. You know, in a way that's totally not weird.

Eureka

It's time to finalize the LRA plans. I'll be participating in two talks this year, and I'm feeling pretty rusty. My last conference talk was two years ago while approximately 8 months pregnant. I hope I can at least catch my breath while speaking this time around. But there's no time to dwell on what could go wrong. It's time to focus. Finish the plans. Give the talks. And enjoy some California sunshine.

Design Dilemmas

We have been in need of a sofa since we moved into this house over a year ago. You might think we've been taking our time to make the right decision. But no. We just started shopping for a couch Friday and now we are frantically trying to pick something out before the holiday deals expire today. So much for thoughtful contemplation. The other problem is that Dave and I have very different design aesthetics. He prefers modern and streamlined while I prefer traditional and child-friendly. I understand that this makes me the less hip of the two, but since I've never been all that hip before, why start now. We have just shy of fifteen hours to come to some compromise. This could require a miracle.

Thanks

We successfully hosted our first Thanksgiving here, and I am so grateful for a husband who likes to cook and can turn out a killer meal. I wanted to contribute in my own way so I took charge of the pre-meal shopping. 22 pounds of turkey seemed like a good number to feed six people, so I went with it and did not look back. Now I see that we will still be eating turkey to ring in the new year. There are worse things, I suppose. I am also thankful for family nearby to celebrate life with and to take home a few leftovers. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Baby Brains Superstar

You've probably noticed from a few photos that Sam is really into music lately. It's a treat for us all. He's particularly fond of his $17.99 guitar from Fleet Farm and runs around calling for his "tar" when the mood hits him. This morning he played along while I belted out tunes from Les Miserables. This made me very happy. Obviously we're hoping he'll grow up to be a rock star, but we don't want to pigeon-hole him too early. It's hard, though, given his raw talent. See for yourself.

Turkey Week

We have agreed to host Thanksgiving. Unless this meal comes in a box, it's going to be a challenge for me. Luckily my husband is a stellar cook and I follow directions pretty well. Preparations are starting today. I'm going to remain calm and feign cheer.

Soliciting

I have to say I'm feeling pretty bummed about missing the excellent NCTE conference after hearing such glowing reports. So I'm thinking about a 2013 proposal. Who's with me next fall?