And done.

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:18:19 -0500

After 34 years of marriage, my parents got divorced today. It took them a year and a half to get to the point where they could stand in front of a judge to tell them their marriage was over. Furniture has been divided. The house is being sold. And signatures are on the dotted line. It seems silly to me that these are the things to fight over. Furniture. A couch. An end table. That picture hanging in the hallway. After 34 years, these are the things worth arguing over, worth fighting furiously for.

I'd like to think that after 34 years I'd fight for things like that hour of sleep I lost in year 4 when I had to hold a wet compress to the back of his neck while he was vomiting. Or the time I wasted in year 17 when he ran over that whatever on the interstate and tore all the tires to shreds, making me have to wait for over 2 hours in the car with him on a tow truck. Or that 10 pounds I gained in year 28 when we traveled Europe for several weeks, eating only the best food we could find and strolling happily through museums and churches.

These are the things I would fight for. These are the things that defined the last 34 years. Who gives a shit about an ottoman.

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This Year's Wish List

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:20:06 -0500

I think it's reasonable...well, except for maybe the Underwood.

Wish List

1. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS DVD $40, 2. Run the line..., 3. The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency-- the belief that the here and now is all there is., 4. Underwood 1

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Sitting in class today...

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:26:11 -0500

...watching my students work on their final group projects, I heard a loud sort of bang just outside our building. As a teacher on a largish campus, I now find myself worrying about school violence. I actually sat there and planned our classroom emergency procedure should a gunman ever enter our building. It included the shutting of doors, the turning off of lights, the straightening of desks, and the quick movement of students against walls hidden from view of the little window in the door.

This is not something we should have to be concerned with. Yet it is. And that's unfortunate.

I'm not sure if my line of thought today makes me self-aware or ridiculously paranoid.

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I know my neighborhood on Vox can help!

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:17:17 -0500

Donate to St Jude Children's Hospital!

http://www.myuptildawn.org/nmahaff

Welcome to my home page. I am participating in Up ‘til Dawn to raise money to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital find new treatments for cancer, sickle cell disease and other catastrophic childhood diseases. You too can help St. Jude continue its lifesaving work against pediatric illness with your donation. Check back often and see my progress. Thanks for helping me reach my goal for the kids of St. Jude!

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Because they're vicious!

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:56:31 -0500

Madelyn's Fortune

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Halloween

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:53:54 -0400

Halloween Mosaic

This is almost the extent of what the kids in Clemson are able to do for Halloween this year because there's a football game today, which means the entire town has shut down for it. All of the festivities were scheduled for Thursday and yesterday. And guess what? It rained.

My children made this year extremely easy as far as costumes go. Evie wanted to be a black cat. Maddy wanted to be a rock star. Two cheapest costumes ever.

Happy Halloween.

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I want you.

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:44:01 -0400

I Want You

The Beatles

...because The Beatles are always awesome...

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Sufjan Stevens

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:27:58 -0400

John Wayne Gacy Jr

Sufjan Stevens

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Yesterday

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:28:13 -0400

Yesterday, Clemson was beautiful. We woke up here to 37 degrees and ice on the windshield. But by 1, it was a glorious day, one of those days where you don't want to be in doors.

the amphitheater, refection pond, and library

Enjoying the end of the warmth

My friends and I enjoyed the day as much as we could, going as far as cheap beer and pizza after work. Randomly, while sitting at the bar, we decided to go to the Blues Traveler concert happening on the lawn of Littlejohn Coliseum. It was FREEZING and really kind of pathetic. There were only maybe 200 people there. So basically the band was background music to great conversation.

all that was left

Blues Traveler in Death Valley

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A little jam

nobody@vox.com(Natalie) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:19:15 -0400

One of my students sent me this video...because my students are awesome. Enjoy.

Andy McKee: Drifting

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