Welcome December!

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Ah!  It is finally here.  I adore December.  Yes, there is my birthday and Christmas, but I love advent.  There is always so much to do in the lead-up to Christmas.  My instinct is to want to do it all, but I am so very glad when I don’t.  What really matters is spending time with all the people I love.  For me, all of the traditions and planning are half the fun!

This year, I am grateful for all I have in my life.  Is my life perfect?  No, but that said, I am far from where I once was.  I have a job I truly adore, and I didn’t give up on teaching, although it would have been so easy to do so.  I also have a man in my life I love and am deeply loved in return.  John and I both agree that we would not have done nearly as much over the past few years if not for each other.  I am grateful that I get along so well with my siblings and their families.  As frustrated as I can get with my parents at times, I am acutely aware of how lucky I am to still have them both in good health.  I could go on, but just know that I am well aware of how truly blessed I am.

As I move into 2025, I’ve been thinking about writing, blogging, podcasting, and so much more.  My issue here at Ramblings of a Misguided Blonde is not that I don’t have enough material, it is that I have too much.  I have a notebook full of ideas.  Right now, I am trying to decide which songs to write about next, which books to review and when, not to mention how to write a long piece on supply chain and its place in geopolitics, which is probably a series.  I’m not exactly sure how it fits here, but it explains so much as to who I am and what I believe.  How do I put all of this together?

I experimented with podcasting in 2020, and it remains something I am interested in. The issue is this:  How do I settle on a topic?  As far as I am concerned, the best podcasts are highly focused.  I have too many interests that would make for great podcast content.

I do know this:  I intend to write more in 2025.  I am not getting any younger.  I have more to say, not less.  It is a matter of establishing good habits.  I am happier when I write!  I am not one to get bored – at least not when I have a book to read or access to my writing materials.

So, once again, welcome December!  Happy Advent!  I hope that your holiday season is off to a great start.  2025 will be here soon enough.

Goodbye, November

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Where did November go?  Seriously?  It seems as though we just went back to school, and now, we are well past the halfway mark for first semester.  I have to say, my November was packed with lots of fun.  So many new memories made!

At the beginning of the month, I attended a Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) game with my siblings and their families.  Go Cards!  After the game, we all spent time hanging out at my parents’ house watching even more football and eating pizza.  I think it has to become a new tradition.  Even though I don’t hunt, I enjoyed everyone else discussing and making plans for opening day (November 15th for firearm deer season here in Michigan).  I love that the tradition continues, even if Camp Russell is long gone.

The following Friday night, John and I attended the Barenaked Ladies (BNL) concert at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.  It did not go as planned, to say the least.  Somehow, we did not have the seats we thought we had.  I still have no idea how, why, where, or when the mixup happened, but it did.  First, let me start with the opening band, Toad the Wet Sprocket.  While not quite a one-hit wonder, Toad the Wet Sprocket had a couple of hits with “All I Want” and “Walk on the Ocean” in the 90s.  Honestly, pretty forgettable and comparable to dad yacht rock of the late 70s and early 80s.  Way, way too mellow, even for me.  The aesthetic of the set worked well, but if things were going to start off this slow, we were in for a long night.

Now before I discuss BNL, you have to understand that I waited 20 years to see them in concert.  BNL is a huge part of the soundtrack of both my high school and college years.  In 2004, during my senior year at Michigan State, I had the opportunity to see them at the Breslin Center.  Unfortunately, my firstborn intuitive sense of responsibility kicked in.  I had too much to do.  I shouldn’t spend the money.  It goes on and on.  As I have proven time and time again, I am my own worst enemy.  Buy the damn concert tickets!  Just go!

As much as I tried to lower my expectations for the BNL concert, it didn’t work.  Instead, I left disappointed.  In fact, we left after the first song.  It just wasn’t what we were expecting at all.  We’d looked up set lists from earlier concerts on the tour, and it looked great.  As one would expect, they opened with one of their monster hits and continued to mix their hits with their new, super mellow album “In Flight.”  I’d listened to the new album before the concert and enjoyed it for what it was.  Looking at the supposed setlist, I thought it would work well.  Wrong!

Mt. Pleasant happened to be the last concert on their tour, and for whatever reason, they completely changed up the set list.  They started with the new songs and continued the dad yacht rock vibe with a vengeance.  No telling when they would get to their back catalog.  Also, what really worried me is the fact that their hits could have been played in a more mellow, stripped down, acoustic version a la MTV Unplugged.  I enjoy that type of music at times, but that is the exact opposite reason why I wanted to see BNL.  I wanted the crazy energy of “One Week,” “The Old Apartment,” and the “Big Bang Theory Theme.”  Add in a BNL superfan who insisted on talking to me throughout the entire break between acts, in addition to continually bumping her purse in John’s side, we were over it.  We left.  Again, lesson learned.

Fortunately, the weekend wasn’t ruined.  We spent time at Michigan State on Saturday.  I showed John all my old favorite haunts.  It is surreal though.  In East Lansing, I constantly felt simultaneously back at home and flabbergasted on how much had changed.  I’m just glad that Crunchies, the Peanut Barrel, and the Pita Pit are still there.  Fun note:  Barstool Sports sponsored a pub crawl throughout East Lansing that Saturday.  We were trying to figure out why we were seeing groups of students dressed up as bananas all over campus and East Lansing.  At first, we thought it might be some crazy type of protest.

Now that Thanksgiving and deer season are behind us, bring on Christmas!  December, of course, never disappoints.  Advent starts tomorrow.  I hope to slow down and enjoy it!

For This, I Am Thankful

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Over this long Thanksgiving weekend, I am grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life – family, friends, coworkers, students, customers, and more.  I am truly blessed.  If I started a list of all the blessings in my life, it would take me hours to complete.

I hope this post finds everyone well enjoying time with family and friends.

Until then …  Now, let the Christmas season begin!

Feliz Día de los Muertos

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Teaching the meaning behind Día de los Muertos was always one of my favorite parts of teaching Spanish.  Enjoy the ending of Coco, one of my all-time favorite animated movies.

November 1st – Happy National Author’s Day!

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I just found out today is National Author’s Day. How appropriate!  The creative writing club I started at school met this afternoon at the end of the school day.  There is never a dull meeting.  They are so passionate about their interests, including but not limited to writing.  I’ve watched as members have bonded over music and other media.  It is inspiring how they support one another, too.

In the online school environment, there aren’t quite as many opportunities to strike up friendships with classmates as in brick and mortar.  Personally, I think that is why school clubs are so vital in an online school environment.  Last year, my first year teaching online, I watched as students planned for weeks and even months for the in-person prom held at the Lansing Center.  Students attended from all over Michigan. The pictures, conversations, and friendships made that evening were discussed repeatedly as the school year came to a close.  I can only hope that that same can be said when I reflect on the creative writing club at the end of the school year.

In my first year as mentor and creator of the club, I sought to find the best possible resources for aspiring high school writers.  Luckily, my online classroom set aside for our new club allowed me to do just that.  It is now a place where students can collaborate, offer one another and seek encouragement, as well as find resources and inspiration.  I can only imagine if I had had such a resource in high school.  I admit, I’ve had too much fun setting things up.  So far, my entire experience with the creative writing club has underscored the importance of community as a writer.

Face it:  Writing can be lonely work.  Over the years, I’ve always enjoyed meeting other writers.  I can’t imagine where I’d be as a writer without Mid-Michigan Writers.  I’ve learned so much from other members over the years, and I would not have discovered Delta College’s general writing certificate program if I hadn’t attended MMW’s Gateway to Writing workshop with other writers who raved about the experience.  If my students take away anything from our creative writing club, I do hope that they realize the importance of community for writers.  Brainstorming works best with others!  At some point, we could all use a second opinion.  We all have to learn from someone.  I can’t imagine not having my very own community of writers and readers. Happy National Author’s Day!

Oh, and happy first day of NaNoWriMo. IYKYK.

Thirty-One – The One Where We Say Goodbye

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I found out that direct sales company Thirty-One, named after the Bible passage in Proverbs 31 that describes a virtuous wife, is closing at the end of the year.  Approximately a decade ago, I sold for a handful of direct sales companies hoping that one would stick and that I had inherited a few of the skills that led to Grandma Reid’s successful 40 year direct sales career.  She only stopped when she could no longer find a quality women’s clothing direct sales company to carry.  In fact, she outlasted several companies, namely Minnesota Woolen, Queensway, and Beeline.  I still happen to have an adorable small stained glass plaque advertising Beeline, bees and all.  I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.  I had to at least try.

At the time, I tried selling Avon, PartyLite, and of course, Thirty-One.  Handsdown, Thirty-One is the one that captured my heart.  If it hadn’t become so oversaturated, I would probably still be selling it.  Avon needed no introduction and offered high quality products.  The problem became that they ran new catalog campaigns every two weeks.  If you are doing anything else, and I mean anything else, it quickly becomes unsustainable.  PartyLite offered great products too – I had done my homework – but nothing ever stood out as special to me.  As much as I personally loved burning candles, I stopped years ago due to the damage constant candle use can do to walls and ceilings.  Even candle and wax warmers can be extremely messy when you want to change scents.

That left Thirty-One.  By the time I decided to stop carrying PartyLite and Avon, I became undecided with Thirty-One.  I still loved the company and the products.  At the time, I also started substitute teaching several days a week while earning my teaching certificate.  Every single teacher’s lounge contained the latest Thirty-One catalogs, an open party, and the business card of a consultant.  How can you compete against that?  Not easily.  I knew I had to move on, not matter how much I loved and believed in the product.

Speaking of Thirty-One products, I have quite the collection.  After ten years of constant use, most of my items are still in near perfect condition.  I’ll have them for years to come.  I may have spent a chunk of change upfront, but in my case, I have no regrets.  I use them daily.  Thirty-One bags may have been at a fairly high pricepoint, but they were worth the money.  Oh, and adorable too!

They’re the same thing, right?

Here’s the thing:  Thirty-One knew – and still knows – their audience.  Their bags are functional and stylish.  They targeted busy moms of faith who needed the right tools to haul all the gear everywhere.  Of course, they wanted to look good doing it, too.  No wonder I saw teachers heavily targeted!  In the future, when I look back at the 2010s, Thirty-One bags will certainly be a part of the aesthetic.  In other words, if I were responsible for designing an American Girl doll representing the decade of the 2010s, she would certainly have Thirty-One bags as go-to accessories.  By the way, American Girl absolutely slayed their dolls representing the 80s and 90s, but that is another story entirely.  I could not have done a better job myself.

Sadly, I doubt that there will ever be another Thirty-One.  They knew their target market because it was created by a busy mom on the go for other busy moms of faith.  Whether we like it or not, women carry the mental load in our society – married, single, with or without children; it doesn’t matter.  Women are tasked for making a house a home, remembering all the things for everyone, not to mention organizing life in general.  As a woman and teacher, it is just true, and it is the reason why my Thirty-One bags have come in so damned handy over the years.  If I were still in business school, I’d love to do a case study on Thirty-One to see where it all went wrong. By the way, if you are under the impression that business is dull and boring, think again.

The Power of Pop Culture

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Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched as my students in my creative writing club have bonded over pop culture – every form of storytelling one can imagine.  They bonded over books, movies, video games, and above all, music.  Several left ecstatic having met other students who share similar tastes in TV, movies, music, and more.  What is it about pop culture that binds us together?

I just finished The Women by Kristin Hannah, which dives deep into the experiences of field nurses in Vietnam.  Throughout the book, particularly in chapters set in Vietnam, certain songs by a myriad of artists set the scenes without mentioning one lyric.  The names of the songs and artists was enough.  Then there were the clothes.  Set roughly from 1967 to 1982, author Kristin Hannah used descriptions of hair and clothing to add realism and depth to her setting and characters.  As one of the finest pieces of historical fiction I’ve ever read, I will be reviewing the book at a later date.  It is that good.

Up until fairly recently, I would have told you that we used to bond more closely over pop culture in the past.  Growing up in the 80s and 90s, we only had three TV channels for a large chunk of my childhood.  Most hit TV shows were shown on either NBC, ABC, or CBS.  That’s only changed over the past two or three decades.  Shows such as M*A*S*H set ratings records that will probably stand the test of time.  Today, with dozens of streaming services and an endless variety of cable channels, TV viewers have more choices than ever.

Music changed, too.  As a child, I watched MTV and VH1 come into their own.  With shows like Unplugged, Behind the Music, and Pop Up Video shown among a solid stream of increasingly intricate music videos, they were all about the music.  In fact, I recently came across a conversation in which my contemporaries argued that it can be difficult for people of our generation to separate certain songs from their music videos. 

Indeed.  I have a difficult time imagining TLC’s Waterfalls, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, or Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity without their iconic videos.  I could name a dozen others.  Today, we have it all at our fingertips.  We can pre-order albums in our medium of choice or subscribe to an all-inclusive music service for a fraction of the price of one traditional CD.  That simple fact made my Xennial heart incredibly happy and angry at the same time.

Personally, when it comes to music, I am glad that I had the opportunity to experience the transition from vinyl to tapes to CDs to MP3s to streaming services … and all the way back to vinyl for collectors.  I watched as a wide-eyed little girl as Madonna and Michael Jackson exploded onto the scene, respectively becoming the Queen and King of Pop, ushering in a new era of great music.  Thanks to my Gen X elders, I developed a deeper appreciation for 80s music, expanding beyond pop rock.

Today, there are infinitely more choices out there.  Yet, it is easier than ever to connect to other fans of your favorite TV shows, movies, music, books, and so much more.  No more annoying dial up, parents or siblings waiting not so patiently to use the phone.  Things might be a bit fragmented, but when you find your tribe, there is no doubt.

Book Review:  The Lyrics:  1956 to Present by Paul McCartney – The Beginning

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First, fair warning:  this is going to be a series of posts.  There is simply too much material, and the entire premise of the project means too much to me.  Before I get into the meat of the book, it is better if readers understand the background.  While John gave me a beautiful hardcover version for Christmas 2021, I am just now reading it.  I knew that I will get sucked in, and I wanted to give it the time and attention it deserves.  The entire idea of this massive memoir grabbed my imagination as soon as it was announced.

In his introduction, Paul McCartney discusses how he has been approached several times to write a memoir or autobiography.  With this idea rolling around for years, his former brother-in-law, Lee Eastman (the late Linda McCartney’s brother), gave him the idea to write a memoir using his song lyrics, explaining their backgrounds and inspirations.  Frankly, it is a brilliant idea.  In creating The Lyrics, Paul McCartney sat down with renowned poet Paul Muldoon to discuss the poetry behind the lyrics.  Paul Muldoon also served as editor.

I may be only through songs starting with C, but I am thoroughly enjoying the book.  The entire organization of the book is unique.  The Lyrics, of course, covers some of the earliest Beatles songs (back to the Quarrymen, actually) to Paul’s latest solo efforts, with Wings in between.  It truly covers 65 years of some of the best pop music ever written.  Some songs written were given to other bands or acts, such as Peter and Gordon and Badfinger.  The book is not in chronological order, but it is instead arranged by song title.  Throughout the book are dozens of historic photographs from McCartney’s personal archives.  Throughout, he explains his song writing process and inspirations.  Another cool feature of the book is that someone took the time to create a Spotify playlist that includes all of the songs in The Lyrics in order that they appear in the book.  You can listen along as you read.  In my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than that.

I look forwarding to sharing more about The Lyrics once I finish the book.  It may a bit, but it will be well worth it in the end.  As a writer, music lover, and avid Beatles’ fan, especially Paul McCartney, I’m obviously the target audience.  Yet, I feel as though there is something for everyone in the book.  Now in his 80s, Paul McCartney is still touring, still writing music, and still out there.  Supposedly, his shows are right around three hours long, without a break.  His work ethic, his passion for performing and songwriting, and deep appreciation for his fans is the only explanation.

Book Review:  The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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I’m not sure exactly what I expected when I started this book, but I did not expect to enjoy it so much, especially given the gritty nature of the subject material covered.  I don’t want to give too much away, but it does deal with such loaded subjects such as suicide, infertility, grief, and love.  Yet, it is witty and realistic as well.  There is definitely humor amongst all the drama.  It is well worth a read.

My favorite is the contrast between our protagonist, Phoebe, who inadvertently crashes a swank wedding week in Rockport, Rhode Island, and Lila, who is a bride-to-be about to kick off a week of wedding activities.  Phoebe has just left everything behind, including her husband, job, house, and cat.  Lila couldn’t be more different, and she is determined that nothing, including an uninvited guest, will ruin her wedding.  Intending to marry in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and losing her father, Lila spared no expense or experience for her guests.  Will it be enough?

Much of the plot revolves around the emotional and social lives of these two women.  The characters, and I do mean all of the characters, are wonderful, even if the reader isn’t inclined to love them all.  They are deeply flawed and human.  One of my favorites is Juice, Lila’s soon to be step-daughter.  While I love the characters and many are highly developed, well beyond just the protagonists, I would not go so far as to say this is a character-driven novel.  It simply isn’t.  The plot really drives the action, and a lot happens in a week.

I’d love to say more, but I do not want to give away major plot points.  While the action certainly hinges on wedding events over the week, the title itself is a bit misleading.  The book is about so much more than just a wedding or even marriage.  It gets hilariously messy, but it is worth it in the end.  Check it out!

The Writing Life – Act Two

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I don’t understand.  I adore writing, and I have no shortage of material.  In fact, I came across my blogging notebook today.  Page after page full of great ideas I have not yet written.  I also came across another binder of writing projects, as well as my writing portfolio from one of my favorite writing classes, a class I took at Delta College nearly a decade ago.  What to do with it all?  It is time to bring it all together.  Why is it so difficult for me to write consistently for long stretches of time?  Why did I abandon poetry again?  I came across some wonderful pieces.  Pieces that need a home.

Then there are the larger projects.  Mom and I need to finish her series of children’s board books, abandoned nearly nine years ago.  I still love them.  Over the last several years, I’ve toyed around with the idea of writing a book about the canoe livery.  It is time to put in the research.  I need to interview my parents and former employees before it is too late.  I do not want those stories to be lost, even if they are never published.  There are simply too many good ones.

So, what is getting in the way?  Quite simply, life.  Accepting a position as a 10th grade English teacher at Michigan Virtual Charter Academy (MVCA) back in August, I’ve been busy.  While I subbed at MCVA most of last school year, I am now a full-fledged faculty member who hadn’t yet experienced the start of the school year – and all that brings (I started in early October last year).  In other words, I’m now getting back to finding time to write.  Just because you have prepared for a new school year in a brick and mortar school does not mean that you know the ins and outs of preparing for a new school year at a virtual school.

One highlight of the school year is creating an official high school creative writing club.  I am passionate about it.  So far, I’ve been able to create a safe online space for students interested in creative writing.  As a club, there are no academic expectations.  We are writing for the sheer creative power of it.  By the way, MVCA offers a creative writing course as well.  This … this is something different, something special.

Thus far, I’ve curated websites that might help budding high school creative writers.  I’ve also shared my favorite quotes and books on writing.  There is space for students to share their work amongst themselves.  I can’t imagine what I would’ve done with those resources, all online and free, and such a nurturing community.  The best part is the enthusiasm of my students.  I’ve watched them form fast friendships over favorite music, video games, books, movies, and more.  They are so supportive of one another.  I can’t wait to see all that we will accomplish this year.  That includes getting back to my own writing.