First Post

"From small beginnings come great things."
- Proverb

I'll start by admitting my fear of others perceiving this post to be a disappointment, as far as first posts go. However, I and others who might know me (my roommate Courtney in particular, who is not incidentally the only person to whom I have given permission so far to read this blog) are fully supportive of this mediocre post. Reason: I have difficulty starting large projects. Consequently, I believe this symbolic yet lousy first post is a good omen of the future of my blog as a real success. Note: Word "real" used tongue-in-cheek, i.e., the readers are not intended to procure any real meaning from it. Pun intended. Word "success" also meant to be vague.

My current excitement about this blog might be associated with my hopefulness about the rest of 2011. Normally I am not much of a subscriber to the arbitrarily-assigned "new start" that occurs and seems to never last a whole year, but this year I have been inspired to view this new year with hopeful anticipation. We'll attribute it to the new compassion I have found, and perhaps a slight loss in cynicism, both of which have been necessary changes for me as I find myself back in, yes, middle school. Before I digress... Top [number] reasons Samantha looks forward to 2011:

1. I am told I have made it through the most difficult part of my teaching career, i.e., the first semester of my first year. I find myself somewhat skeptical about this apparent switch being flipped, especially since I have not made it through a whole week yet without a holiday or a day off to regain my sanity (only taken one of those, though, for the record). BUT I will choose to look forward in optimism because I am through half of the year, after all. Also, my room recently went through a physical makeover. Added some stickers, a New Year's Resolution paper chain, and an irresistibly educational word wall. Highlight of 2011 so far: "Ms. Sayson's room looks like a party!"

2. I have finally fulfilled my roommate duties by acquiring internet (bitch). Not only did I spend the necessary (approximately) two cumulative hours on the phone crying, yelling, and swearing at the AT&T automated voice service and customer service representatives, but I also installed the modem AND the wireless router myself. For all of you who are impressed, I predict that you have never installed any wireless technology before. While I would like to continue to impress you, I will instead selflessly encourage you that it is not a remotely difficult process, and do not ever pay someone to do it for you. Don't even let a "tech-savvy" friend do it for you; it's worth the feeling of self-achievement.

3. I alluded earlier to the rough beginning weeks of semester two of teaching, but to give another point of reference - my fingernails have not been unpainted for more than one day since 2006. This week, I had unpainted fingernails for not three, but FOUR CONSECUTIVE days. It was a disaster which illustrates how neurotic and exhausted I have been in being thrown back into a new year. My friends, sisters, boyfriend, and students noticed my naked nails and consequently judged me and probably thought something was severely wrong with me. However, last night, in the whirlwind of 2011 excitement that has come over me (a whirlwind which includes the founding of this blog), I finally painted my nails. And I didn't just paint them my go-to trademark dark purple like nothing ever happened; as a point of pride I painted them my brightest, sassiest hot pink.

I bet I could come up with some better reasons than those. Or more prioritized. But I'll stick with the sentiment presented by my earlier quote and leave this post in its endearingly (if I do say so myself) imperfect state.