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- Last night I had a bit of a breakthrough in the classroom, when I realized that the classes that are the most successful are the ones that focus on learning new vocabulary and speaking, and the ones that are only so-so and are a bit of a drag to slog through are the grammar-focused ones. I'm not sure how much this has to do with the fact that I don't really like grammar myself, which probably comes through when I teach it. Anyway, it's been interesting (re?)learning the foundations of the English language. I get the feeling that this will make it easier to for me to go on learning new languages (hello, French? Russian...?).

- Since my last post Corey made $800 in a single poker session last night. He lent my bro $100 so that he could play, which he promptly lost. Not really surprising. Also, my phone did end up dying a fizzy kaputzy death (thanks, Portland weather!), but thankfully I got a free one in the mail. I had absolutely no idea that once you own your phone for a certain amount of time you can get a free one. It's things like these (along with not being able to figure out how to work the Mr. Coffee machine, or turn on the ice maker) that make me feel out of touch with modern life (not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes).

- I rediscovered my Goodreads account. I think the design/layout on the site is really annoying, ugly and frustrating. But at least it'll help me keep track of the books I read. Just like those long Microsoft Word lists my sister kept way back in middle school. The "Ulysses" slog has stagnated. I'm in a bit of a suburban angst-theme, having just finished "White Noise" and in the middle of A.M. Homes' "Music For Torching," based on one of my favorite short stories from "The Safety of Objects."

So far I'm really enjoying it; it's one of those books you look forward to reading. In particular like the description of a little girl's room as "vagina pink." I wish this book would be made into a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, a sort of Jack and Rose go suburban forty years later type of deal... oh, wait...

- The last time I spoke with my sister on the phone she brought to my attention that it's been six months (and a bit!) since graduating. What a strange thought. Sometimes it seems/feels like a lot has happened, sometimes it's like nothing at all....

- I'm leaving on Wednesday to San Luis Obispo to spend Thanksgiving with my grandmother. Thomas and Corey will be coming too. There probably won't be many mushrooms there (it's kind of a scrubland), but maybe we'll get to go hiking and kayaking.