Work work work

December has arrived and with it more and more work! As Foundations approaches the February Beyond School Hours conference (in Atlanta, GA), much of my work is going to be centered around preparing for that. The department I'm working in actually uses the conference as a way to get staff together from the eight "sites" we work with across the country (I'm sure you ALL remember my first post that we work to help get kids reading on grade level by grade 3). So far, all I know is that I have to make posters and help register people, I think, and make sure the technology works and things run smoothly. I have no real planning experience (and I've thrown about three parties in my life) so it's a bit scary, but I'm eager to learn.

I'm not a hugely social person (as evidenced by my lack of party throwing), but I can't wait to meet all of the people I've only so far heard over the phone. We have conference calls all of the time, so I have these mental pictures of various principals, literacy coaches, and others working in schools and districts.

I don't know how much other PP55 fellows have had to deal with commuting, but commuting has turned from totally fine to totally terrible in the span of the 4ish months I've been working. In July and August, driving home at 5:30 wasn't bad--it was as if I had found the "sweet spot" in the span of rush hour and I always got home at around 6:10. Labor Day came around and everyone decided to start working again (teachers?) which destroyed my morning commute and forced me to start leaving 10 minutes earlier (which is devastating to someone who savors every minute of sleep in the morning). But the moment daylight saving(s) time ended, it became pitch black at 5:30. This means everyone drives more slowly and/or more anxiously, and every moment on parts of my drive is like an accident waiting and wanting to happen. Now I get home at around 6:30.

Okay I'm complaining way too much about it, but I had to get it out. It also makes me feel super adult to talk about commuting. Over Thanksgiving I didn't sit at the kids table and I totally talked about my commute with my aunts and uncles. All I need now is a husband and kids (HA).

I should mention that in November I was able to go into Philadelphia to the library at their Regional Foundation Center, with my PP55 mentor. So many great free resources at the library! As Arthur Read says/sings, "Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!" We then ate at Di Bruno Bros. which may have had the best cheeseburger I've ever tasted.

Tomorrow I'm going into the city again to learn how nonprofits survive in a recession (because seriously, I'm amazed at how well we've done).