In December

I apologize in advance for how random and disjointed today's post is going to read.

*December has been busy. There is some pressure at school when you see the date that report cards are to be sent home approaching on the calendar. And there is more pressure when you know you need to finish the unit you're on before winter break, because if you don't you'll be met by a roomful of blank stares if you try to pick up where you left off. Trust me - I've seen it.

But despite the pressure, December is one of my favorite months of school. I like the holidays circling everything that's going on, I like the initial landscape wipe of the first major snowfall and the way the kids light up in response to it. I like knowing that break is coming up really soon, even if this year it's going to be kind of short. I like being at a point in the year when I have had time to build relationships with my students, and to have a chance to bask in that mutual appreciation with them just as we all prepare to go our separate ways for the holidays.

I'd probably be enjoying the month a little more if I wasn't STILL shaking off the illness that took me down just before Thanksgiving. It's pretty much over with, but it seems like I'm going to have one of those coughs that just keeps on going and going, and then once you feel like you're finally over with it you surprise yourself with a quick, harsh hacking fit that ends with you packing a mouthful of nastiness that had been lining your lungs moments before. I won't miss this when it's finally over.

The first snow was a good strong one. I won't reflect on it too much, other than to say that the morning after the main snowfall saw a 14" snow drift right outside of my garage. And that RAV 4 of mine? Plowed right through it without a second thought. It was pretty sweet. Even better was my arrival home after a few more inches of snow had fallen and my driveway hadn't been plowed yet. I just drove right up and into the garage without hesitation. I'm feeling all kinds of RAV love these days, and even sprung for the expensive car wash when I went to fill the tank this morning.

Okay, enough blah blah blah. Two musical points to make today.

First of all, one of my favorite musical collaborations of 2009 has to be the duet between Rihanna and Shy Ronnie on the most recent SNL Digital Short. If you haven't seen the video, you really want to look it up.

Secondly, I'm working on a couple iTunes playlists these days. One will be my favorite 25 songs from the year, something I've done for the past five years or so. It makes a nice little musical time capsule to listen to occasionally. Don't worry - I'll be sharing it here when it's finished. Also I've put together a new archive list, made from songs in the library that I haven't played yet. This is mostly older stuff. It's always cool to dig out the older music and revisit what you've been missing for months or years. I highly recommend it.

And now I'll go back to waiting to hear about my first agency submission from my manuscript of this past summer... which is killing me with anticipation a little. I honestly don't expect they'll take me on as a client, but if they aren't, I'd sure like to know it so I can move to the next one on the list and start the whole agonizing process again.