I think we’ve fully established my unrelenting need for organizing, and so eventually something besides a calendar or another bunch of calendars or an entire room highlighting this disorder charming trait would become a Friday thing.
Here is one of the [many1 because of course] pouches I own & love. It was a gift during my last year of teaching, from my lifesaving paraprofessional classroom assistant. She hit all the pertinent marks here:
Books made up about 75% of my classroom decor and posters with lots of words around 20%, plus I also gleefully worked in our school library, so yes, reading is important to me. And I do understand that murder is wrong so I need something to keep me from it2.


I mentioned my cat Zelda3 often in class, and she would likely choose a book about ruling the world in order to keep herself from murdering me.4
Supplies around my classroom were always (prepare for a startling reveal) carefully arranged into bins, baskets, boxes, jars, and of course pouches: markers, papers, paper clips, bookmarks, pencils, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, sunscreen. I am an obvious fan of categorizing into cute but useful vessels.
It is important to me that the container design matches its purpose so I immediately started filling this one with things I need particularly while reading: sticky notes & flags, pens/pencils/pencil sharpener, emergency bookmark, tea & snacks, glasses/screen cleaning cloth. Now when I head out to read & write in peace (and avoid murder), I know to make sure this pouch is packed in my laptop bag.
Books, and friends, saving lives.
I will feature the numerous Pamela Barsky beauties I have someday but until then, please admire her work + shop while you wait. NB, I just bought 12 more during a break from writing.
Though I might point out that being in jail = lots of reading time. #BrightSides #JKIPromiseIWillNotMurderAnyone
We didn’t get sweet Fred until last fall, after I had already quit my teaching job.
I doubt she considers murder wrong so much as she knows that I am where food comes from and if she kills me, it stops conveniently appearing in her bowl.
I also love pouches, containers, cute bags, and bins for organization (pretty sure no one that knows me is surprised). I bought that same bag/pouch for my friend this year for her birthday - almost bought one for me too... it is still on my 'to buy for me ' list ;)