YOLO, YLOO, or YOSO? Which one is it?

Three of my students from last year visited me during my planning period today. 

One of them said, "So, does YOLO technically have a misplaced modifier in it?" 

Me: "As a matter of fact, it does. You do other things (other than living) only once. What it should be is YLOO. You live only once. Unless, of course, you died and someone brought you back to life. Then you lived twice, not once."

Another student: "Oh my gosh. That's so going to be our next inside joke. YLOO. I love it." 

And I love teaching. Kids are such fun humans, and it's fascinating to watch their minds grow. 

I think "only" might be the most frequently misplaced modifier because it's a one-word modifier versus a phrase. I think someone would notice something out of place with the underlined phrase in the following sentence: Pooping on the living room floor, my dad scolded the dog. Tiny modifiers like only are tricky, little buggers. 

(Note: my Dad is the epitome of uncouthness, but even he has boundaries preventing him from defecating on the carpet, which means it's definitely the dog who should be pooping on the living room floor according to that sentence.)

Anyway, it all made me think of the pet peeve speech one student delivered two years ago. He hated on the overuse of YOLO and declared, "YOSO, you all ought to stay original." 

Wise words, my delightfully hysterical pupil. 

Oh, and I got dressed today for your viewing pleasure. 

I really like how the whole look came together, especially the colors. 

It was inspired by this pin.

Sometimes, my brain cooperates.

The Outfit:

Boots: Madden Girl (wish I could remember where I bought them)

Pants: 1979 Gap jeans

White oxford: New York and Company

Cardigan: Old Navy (probably should have washed it before wearing it with white because little gray gremlins now cover my shirt.)

Scarf: Target (I sort of wish it was bigger. Bummer.)

 

Previous Looks:

I also wore these jeans with a gray vest, polka dots & a navy blazer, and chambray & tan.

I wore these gray boots with lime green & a dress, mint, gray, and white, and with a gray sweater over a blue striped dress. 

Linking up with Style Journey, Shanna, and WIWW. 

Best Outfit of the Year? You Decide.

Okay, I said the outfit is the best of the year, but I didn't promise you the photo quality would compare. (All day, the rain fell dreadfully and the sun hid, so what you see is what you get.)

I walked into a colleague's classroom this morning and she exclaimed, "that is my favorite outfit of the entire year. Ever." Parents who were milling about during parent-teacher conferences stopped me to compliment my skirt. Is it crazy that I was hesitant about my outfit this morning? I thought, "is there too much color? Does this 'go'? Can I pull it off?" I answered no, yes, yes and embraced the look. Maybe I shouldn't have experimented on parent-teacher conference night, but the parents might as well experience my colorful, pattered personality in its entirety. 

Two seniors (neither of whom I teach) squealed and high fived when I told them how fashionable they are every day. They twittered, "Mrs. Wo says we're fashionable! We're awesome!" 

And now I feel awesome. Today was make-Mrs.Wo-feel-awesome day.

My only gripe about this outfit is that the crotch of my sweater tights hung like they were waiting to be filled with extra body parts I don't possess. As a result, I kept hiking them up...to no avail. 

Wow, your life would be better without that information.

You're welcome. 

The Outfit:

Sweater: Elle via Kohl's (it has little nubbins on it that you can soooort of see in the last two pictures.)

Blazer: Express (oooold)

Scarf: Made by Momma, DUH.

Booties: Old Navy (surprisingly comfortable! I plan to get the red suede ones on Thursday.)

Skirt: Got it for $14 at Francesca's! I saw it online months ago but refused to pay full price. I found one in the store this weekend and knew it was fate. 

Linking up with Style Sessions, The Trend Spin Linkup, and The Pleated Poppy. 

Shine Bright Like a Diamond? (A simile that doesn't really make sense...)

Does ANY teacher enjoy the end of the quarter?

I vehemently answer...NO. 

The end of the quarter means that students in all walks of grade lives come pouring in during every spare moment (and the not-so-spare moments) to grub for grades that they clearly did not earn.

Typically, my response is a hand in the face accompanied by a "be gone" or "skadoosh." Sometimes, I keep sputtering out gibberish every time they try to speak. Eventually, they grow so annoyed that they walk away. Now, some of you might be thinking I'm a wicked witch whose heart blood runs cold. 

On the contrary, like most teachers, I spent all quarter offering every ever-living opportunity for success. I give up planning periods to meet with students about essays. I post homework online, on the back board, and I always go over it verbally before class ends. I spend hours making graphic organizers and I scaffold like a boss. Yet, despite my efforts, some rapscallions still act like rapscallions and presume quite ridiculously that I will, through no effort of their own, promote them from rapscallion to royalty. 

No dice.

This quarter, here is what I think in my head when they approach me, or I see that I'm-thinking-about-harassing-you-about-my-grade twinkle in their adolescent eyes:

Oh, I'm sorry, student. You want to raise your grade at the very last minute? Let's talk about wants for a moment. I DON'T want to move all of my shit from a house to an apartment, close on my house on Halloween (and take a "sick day" in order to do so), find time to sign the apartment lease, continue my hour commute, get all of my letters of recommendation in by Friday (to an online system that is making all of us teachers want to flick someone in the eyeball), go to the market because one more day of bagged rice is unacceptable, put up with your end-of-the-quarter-I-should've-done-it-when-you-assigned-it jackassery, or deal with these very angry, grudge-wielding lady parts of mine. In summary, we do not always get what we want. Sometimes, we get everything we don't want. In one week. Don't say you never learned anything in English class.

Since I've packed up all of my clothes but the ones I picked out for this week, I'm crossing my fingers that the weather doesn't go all hormonal on us and sprint back to 80 degrees. Otherwise, I might be forced to buy new clothes instead of digging mine out of boxes. Liiiike I need another excuse...

The Outfit:

Cardigan: Old Navy (current--I lurrrve the pink one.)

Top: Old Navy ($10 on the clearance rack. Boom.)

Black Jeans: NY & Co.

Boots: Madden Girl

Scarf: No idea...I own too many. I mean, not enough.

The Details:

Occasion: What'd Cher from Clueless call it? "Riding the crimson waves?" Does anyone remember that part of the movie? Anyway, I was in the same boat (look at this water imagery go), so dark bottoms all week it is. Okay, that's not the "occasion." Teaching is the occasion, but whatever.

Comments: You can sort of tell in the second photo that this cardigan has sparkly elbows. How delicious. I think the detailing on the boots is tubular. My scarf has some sparkle in it, too, but I don't think you can tell in pictures. I was comfortable and felt pulled together. Need I say more? 

Linking up with Molly. 

Gray & Mint

Since I keep spending so much time at the doctor lately, I needed something to brighten up my life. I decided that a good dye job and a fun pair of mint jeans would do the trick.

As a result, I'm blonde again. And wearing ridiculously bright pants.

I even learned how to curl my hair (thanks to the sweet stylist who dyed my hair).

Am I the only one who can never make her hair smell nearly as good as it does once she leaves the salon?

P.S. I know you're jealous of my super sweet shoe storage (alliteration, whaaaat!?). We have no "mud room," so I had to improvise.

Outfit Deets:

Sweater: Sonoma via Kohl's

Mint Jeans: American Eagle

Boots: Madden Girl (yeah, did you know that brand existed?)

Coat: Pac Sun (it's really not that short; I just got all discombobulated.)

I have nothing better for you tonight because the meds make me a little woozy, and I must figure out how to grade papers woozily. Everyone gets an A! Wahooooo!