Hey, It’s Okay…

I spent 75 minutes on the elliptical trainer tonight (yay me!!), reading Entertainment Weekly and much of Cosmo, too. I like to save my magazine reading for the elliptical--it makes the time go much faster and it's a way to get my trashy-magazine reading out of the way.

Anyway, as I drove home from the gym, I was thinking of a monthly feature in Glamour (my absolute favorite magazine), where they tell the reader "It's okay..." to do various things. I thought of this because I was indulging one of my own guilty pleasures...I had just cranked up the volume on my radio because a Barry Manilow song was playing.

Anyway, the Little Pink Lightbulb appeared over my head. You know what this means! Meg's got an idea for a Little Pink Blog update.

So here it is...

I Admit It! And It's Okay...

1. That I crank up the radio and cease the station-surfing when Barry Manilow is singing "Mandy." The real treat, however, is "Copa Cabana."

2. That I like (some) cheesy pop music and light rock, even though it goes against Statute 417B in the "You Have a Degree in Music" Handbook.

3. That I will never pack away that old, old Snoopy doll that has been around the world with me (the one that reminds me of my late Grandma Bean).

4. That I have a map of England on my bedroom wall, and I sometimes longingly gaze at Essex County and miss it like mad.

5. That I once had a massive crush on a married man. It's not like we did anything, and I had absolutely zero expectations of him, aside from light flirting and a nice friendship that really meant a lot to me.

6. That I sometimes look at my students and think, "Oh, God, please get me out of here!" We all have our days, and believe me, 11-year-olds are not easy creatures to be around every day.

7. That I can't do my lesson plans for the week until my room and bathroom are clean.

8. That I plan my Sundays around NASCAR. And that I feel slightly bereft when there's no race (like this weekend).

9. That I believe new shoes will solve my problems. Okay, they won't finish my classwork, they won't do the laundry, but damn, they make me feel good about the world.

10. That I read romance novels. I also read "serious" stuff, but when I want to relax, I do love my stupid romance novels (within reason--I don't love "bodice rippers," just a good love story with good characterization).

11. That one of the first things I bought upon my arrival in England in 2004 was a really huggable teddy bear. Hey, you move 6,000 miles away from your friends and family, and then tell me that you don't need something to hug!

12. That I have one-sided but very satisfying conversations with my cat. I don't care what anyone says, I know that she understands every word. I'm the stupid one who doesn't understand Meow.

13. That I haven't played my clarinet in ages...I'll find time again, and get back into it. For now, I've got enough music to keep me happy with my piano, singing, and teaching.

14. That I'm still a few steps behind technology. It took a long time for me to catch up to the Cellular Revolution, and you still won't see the phone glued to my ear all the time.

15. That instead of St. Tropaz or some exotic place, I'd rather book my next trip to London.

16. That I get a teensy bit scared when I'm alone at my parents' house at night. It's way too big for one person, and who knows what is lurking in the forest behind our house.

17. That I have a fascination and love for public transport (BritRail, Washington State Ferries). Hey, any time I don't have to drive is a good time.

18. That I still occasionally brag about that Scottish bloke I pulled in Edinburgh--in 1999.

19. That I cry when I'm really, really pissed off. No one will ever be able to tell me I'm locking it all inside, that's for sure!

20. That I just spent 30 minutes of my Friday night writing this blog update. ; )

Cheers,

Meg