Emerging from the caffeine induced haze of substitute teaching, I am remembering well why I decided to become a hermit. Teachers, librarians, early childhood educators — here’s to you. You do this every day, and so I will not whine about doing this for two weeks. However, a little note to the universe about making the day after Halloween a school day… Bad idea. Very bad idea.
In other news, my book-a-day rapid reading plan for the Cybils has somewhat deteriorated into hole-yourself-up-for-the-weekend-and-play-catch-up plan, but that’s okay. I’m so pleased by the response to the Cybils — people really love their YA novels, and I won’t complain about getting a chance to get my fingers and eyes on some of the best new books out there — books I wouldn’t have gotten around to for another six months or so. This has been a lot of fun already. I am making new friends with people whose blogs I only read and marvel at, and I’m excited about the chance to meet some of them in upcoming Conferences and in other places.
Meanwhile, cheers to all my buddies doing the National Novel Writing Month — I am slowly but 
surely making my way through the first chapter of my YA novel, which is… tentatively… about a girl genius who loses her smarts. I’d say it was based on me, except for the genius bit… I’m still not sold on the idea of actually cranking out anything readable in a single month, but this gives me the chance — and the impetus — to put down on paper some of the newer ideas that have been zinging around in my skull.
This morning marks the first day of the autumn rains, and traffic is snarled accordingly. Happy Thursday, and good writing and reading to all. School bells call me!
I love your NaNo idea! I can’t wait to read it.
I am VERY proud of you for subbing. I lasted exactly half a day as a substitute teacher. First graders…argh…plus I was only 20 at the time. (I’d love to think things would be different, going on 10 years later, but probably not…)
I’m coping. It’s a lot of smaller children sort of flinging themselves at my knees in deep love for me — children whose names I don’t even know… you forget how little kids are so …open to the entire universe. And then, inevitably, there’s another little kid who won’t even speak to you. And so it goes…
I have to admit that singing O-R-A-N-G-E to the tune of ‘This Old Man’ never gets old… hee hee.