Hello, friends. I am back with some more gold stars and demerits a la Gretchen Reuben from the Happiness project.

I mean I figured I’d stop being terrible at blogging (if only for a day) and update you on life.

See the first gold stars and demerits post if you have no idea what I’m talking about here.

Gold Stars

-Surviving the first quarter of mentoring at a junior high. I started volunteering for an organization at my school that goes to lower income middle and elementary schools and does science experiments with the students. Fairly soon after starting, I got a fellowship (due to a high need for mentors, but that’s beside the point) and started mentoring twice a week.

I’m not gonna lie, it is a little stressful at times, but it’s so good to be working with kiddos again! Also they are absolutely hilarious.

-Set up my Gilmore Girls revival shindig. I am so freaking excited. I think I’m going to get nerdy to the point of having a couple of games like GG Bingo and have people make predictions. Too much?

Actually, I don’t care. I love the Gilmore Girls.

I even managed to make it to the pop up Luke’s diner in downtown Omaha.

-Bought scissors and hair coloring so I can do my own hair! While this might seem like a crazy idea…okay it is a crazy idea, but if it works, I will be saving a ton of money. I may be considering using that money towards getting massages instead (because getting my hair done was a treat-yo-self thing) because I’ve been crazy sore carrying my giant backpack around campus. Either way it will be a good thing. As long as I don’t mess it up.

-Was officially accepted into the Elementary Education program. Which is super intense. I don’t even know how to describe it, but let’s just say that I thought getting a degree to teach 10 year olds would be a smidgen easier. I’m very grateful though for all of the time in the classroom we will get before getting actual teaching jobs. I have a feeling I will walk out very prepared, which is obviously a good thing.

-Got myself a dot com. It kind of sounds narcissistic to have amandaRdewitt.com, but I think it will be good to have a place where I can put my portfolio or link to whatever projects I may be working on. Ya know? Also I’m pretty sure employers google your name when you apply for jobs, so…might as well create a site for them to check out. #strategy

Or it might have been an excuse to create another website.

Demerits

-I don’t remember the last time I worked out. Yeah, I know that’s bad. I do park pretty far away at school so I walk a lot (twice a week) and my coffee catering job is pretty physical, but like I don’t even work out once a week. :/

-I haven’t done a darned thing for our wedding. Oh aside from starting the wedding website..which is also kind of a blog, too.

I guess that is a big thing, but it seems like we set a date, I looked at a venue with the soon-to-be-mother-in-law, got shut down on many of my ideas, and stopped dead in my planning tracks. Maybe I will feel more motivated at the 12 month mark?

In Other News…The Election

I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but something on my mind lately is the election.

I woke up the morning after election day with a sense of dread, worry and fear. I don’t want to get too ranty on the blog about politics (I’m practicing being somewhat neutral for my teaching career), but it’s been rough over here.

You can clearly tell that I’m a feminist (aka someone who believes in equal rights) from my profile, so you could probably guess that I disagree with a bucket load of things the newly appointed president stands for.

I am trying to remain optimistic, though. Like one of my friends said, “maybe the rest of America knows something that I don’t.”

This is a different election than any I’ve been a part of and these times feel uncertain. Our country feels very divided in its beliefs–we are even a little divided over here in our house and it can be very frustrating. Virtual hugs to those who get these feelings. It can be very overwhelming. :/

To end on a happier note…look how handsome Dave is in a bow tie.

So tell me…

Have you had any gold star moments this month? How about demerits?

And someone tell me how to get motivated to plan a wedding(!!).