Oktober

And we're back. I suffered from chronic incompleteblogposts-itis over the past few weeks, and so I have a few halfway-done drafts and am starting afresh (again). Who knows if I'll reach the end of this one.
A lot has occurred since the momentous event documented in the post below. First, I have completely forgotten how to drive. However, I do have a license and look very happy in it (they took the picture immediately after the test). Other events of note:
1. Finding a church I can call home. I'm happily settled in Gracepoint Fellowship Austin and I know it's a place where I can serve and grow. Two years of church-hopping wasn't easy, especially having gone to the same church for 21+ years in Singapore, so thank God for these guys.
2. Hanging out with work friends. I love my fellow Peer Academic Coaches! That's me in orange... heh. A few of these people share my passions for The Office, cute movies like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and molten chocolate cake from Chili's.
3. Austin City Limits. Hot, dusty, crowded, smoky, weed-y, sweaty and a ton of fun. Was introduced to new bands and got to swoon over familiar ones. Highlights: Foo Fighters, Gogol Bordello, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss and The Raconteurs. Was stupid enough to forget to put on sunscreen all three days, and so...
4. Fell sick for a week. Super-duper-schedule-messer-upper. Do NOT fall sick, ever.
5. Teaching a sixth grade class at Kealing Middle School, a great school in a bad neighborhood. Austin is divided by Interstate-35 and everything east of it is a whole different world from our university bubble. The bus journey to Kealing is quite an eye-opener. However, my teaching experience has been rosy so far, because my cooperating teacher is amazing. She manages to be totally stern and yet cool, funny and warm at the same time. And I love how she incorporates film, music, audiobooks, real life simulations and even food into her lessons. Am learning a lot.
6. Watching UT football games on Saturday for the past three weeks. I've only just begun to understand the appeal of the game, and it helps that UT is THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY! HOOK 'EM HORNS! Wow, I'm surprised that blogger does have burnt orange on its color palette. Nice.
7. Putting together my Halloween costume. Will not say what it is right now, but I will say that all I'm missing is a black beret.
8. Watching Margaret Cho's performance at the Union, which was almost entirely about sex and made me realize what a prude I am. I was under the impression she was going to give a lecture on Asian-Americans.
9. The upcoming election. Seeing people sporting 'I Voted' stickers or Obama or McCain buttons is making me more excited than ever for the outcome. I'm thankful to be in the US at this momentous period of time. But the best thing that's come out of all of this, IMHO, is Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impressions on SNL ("I can see Russia from my house!").
I will stop here, because nine is the square of 3 and is therefore cooler than 10.
Until next time!