Do you still get that back-to-school, starting a new year feeling? It’s been eight years since I finished my Master’s, the last time I was taking classes and worried about new semesters, and yet, I still get excited about resetting in September and starting again.
Which glitter notebook do I use?!
This fall will bring a few changes in our household, as both The Mechanic and I are going back to school! Well, sort of. We are both taking German classes. The Mechanic is taking beginner classes through Arlington County Parks & Rec, and I will be taking an intermediate level class at the Graduate School USA, located in Washington, DC. Both of our classes will be on Wednesday nights, starting in mid-September. His classes will be 2 hours long, while mine are 3, and I think there are more weeks in my class. But I’m looking forward to it! Hopefully helping The Mechanic with his homework will help reinforce some of the basics I learned a long, long time ago. I know there is some grammar I was fuzzy on even when I was somewhat fluent, so I need to focus on that. It will be fun to practice with each other. This is the beginning of our “move to Germany/Europe someday” plan.
Four shelves of German books and I need a language refresher!
The other education item on my September list is to get the certified through The Center for Green Schools as a “Green Classroom Professional.” The Center for Green Schools is a part of the U. S. Green Building Council, founded in 2010, with a mission of turning all schools into green schools through what they define as three pillars – environmental impact, human health, and eco-literacy. I’m interested in the certificate because I want to learn details, and because I am curious as to whether or not transportation is even included in the environmental impact category. Well, any of them, really. I’m pretty sure that LEED standards for buildings are more detailed or rigorous, but it isn’t a huge time commitment or cost, so why not? If nothing else, I can suggest ways to better incorporate green transportation.
New Buildings in Arlington must be Silver Level LEED, but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn what they consider a “green school”
This means that I won’t be publishing blog posts on Thursdays for a while, because I won’t be home to write them Wednesday nights. So I think I will shake things up a bit and publish on Tuesdays and Fridays. <gasp> I know, I know – a rift in the universe. But not to worry – even though I’ve added one more free time activity to my life, I will still be blogging, sewing and biking.
Speaking of sewing, the other new thing I’ll be trying this fall is to only make my clothes. Eek. I’m not sure how this is going to go, actually, between not having enough time to sew and moments of weakness where I *need* some instant gratification. Instant, sewing is not. But this is the first season I’ve honestly felt as if I don’t need new clothes. (Boots are another story.) I haven’t gotten enough wear out of what I’ve made or purchased this spring and summer, and I don’t want to buy anything. Once it gets really cold, I’ll need to invest in new sweaters, because I’m not about to try making those on top of everything else, but I want to see how much of my own wardrobe I can create. Wish me luck! 
Do you feel like the year resets in September as well? Do you set any “resolutions” for the new school year, whether or not you are in school?
tinlizzieridesagain 