Thursday, January 03, 2008

New day thaaaaaank goodness

I never want to relive a day like yesterday. Period. End.
 
Of course, my car is going to have another expensive repair soon when I have to redo the back brakes. Note to self: start saving money for that NOW.
 
Goals (not resolutions) for This Year
 
  1. Move the hell out if I can. Preferably around May, but definitely no later than August. I need, for my own mental health at this point, to get back out on my own and away from my family. I need to work like crazy to get the cash to do it (seeing as how all the "extra" money I had just got wiped out by the damn car). I would love to live in Evanston, I think.
  2. Find a good school job - preferably somewhere that would be a nice short commute if I live in Evanston..!
  3. Get a better iPod. Seeing as how people are still gabbing on the phones like jackdaws on their personal phone calls at work!!!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

I hope this is good

Because I need good news.
 
I just got a call on my cell phone from the Uber Rich North Shore School District (TM). I've got an interview next Monday for the long-term substitute position.
 
Keep your fingers crossed, people. I could really use some good news after the bullshit I've had the past 1.5 days of 2008.

Just when you think

you're getting ahead - NO.
 
Today was the last straw for my car's driver's side latch mechanism. Sidestepping the whole argument I got into with my brother this morning, the piece of crap is at the Ford dealership getting fixed. Along with the windshield wiper fluid hose. AND new tires.
 
What is the price? Just over a grand.
 
Just what I wanted to spend my Christmas money on. Yes. So much for the nascent idea I had about purchasing a new Mac laptop.
 
I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I'm fucking sick of the holiday hoopla followed by the post-holiday blah. I am completely boycotting Christmas next year. Seriously. If I can, I'm leaving the fucking country.
 
I hate this weather. I hate everything today.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Happy Freaking New Year

My ears are still ringing.
 
No, not from noise makers. From the stupid fucking fire alarms. I've been up for about an hour already because the alarms just started blaring off in the house I'm watching.
 
I'm glad I slept with clothes on (wife beater and shorts). I shot out of bed and went running through the house, but there was NOTHING. No smoke, no scent, no flames....nada! Just the alarms...BLARING. LOUDLY.
 
I tried resetting them...tried pulling them. Couldn't figure out how to do that. Called the owners up in Texas at just before 6am.
 
Finally wound up calling non-emergency fire. "What's the address?" "OH, I don't know...! 1050...I'm RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOUR VISITOR'S ENTRANCE." (Which is true.)"
 
Two dudes - neither of them hot, where the fuck are the hot firemen? - show up. I open the door with a non-jovial "Happy New Year". "Not really," one of them says. "Yeah, that's what I thought," I said.
 
So the two guys start checking the alarms, the furnace, etc., etc., and arguing about the fire alarm models and how they work. I decide to sit with the dog, who's been remarkable sedate throughout the whole thing, just chilling on the couch. That dog would be useless in a real emergency. Maybe not. He licks everything, maybe he could lick a fire out. Who knows.
 
Long-short of it: electric thing must be fucked up in the alarm circuitry. Get an electrician. Yeah, I'll be right on that. Called the owners back and told them that.
 
Jesus. Now I am exhausted again. I was wired, obviously, while the alarms and omgamigonnagetblowedupwtfisgoingon?! feeling was upon me. I almost started crying on the phone because I felt like a complete nincompoop.
 
I can still hear the alarms in my ears. *moans* Goddamn.

Happy New Year

May it be healthy and happy. (Well, it's gotta be happier considering this is the year DUMBYA is finally out of the office he was never truly elected to!!!)

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Applications Galore

I've begun 15 online applications for school districts all up and down the north shore, as well as into the northwest suburbs. Jesus Christ.
 
I've got to go back into each of them and answer all the short-essay questions. This is gonna take HOURS.
 
Fuck me, Grayslake has about a DOZEN short answer-essay questions! It's not even, IMO, that fabulous of a school district!!

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Pet sitting

I really wish this dog would STOP LICKING ME.

God, if ever there was a cure for the temporary insanity had about possibly wanting a small dog, this is it. Dog wanted to take his biscuit and eat it outside. Okay, fine, freeze your ass off, crazy.

Boof. I'm tired and feel lazy. Need to go to the gym this afternoon after I meet with my friend.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Apply Now!

Well, I just applied to the long term sub position my friend told me about at Uber North Shore High School District XX.
 
We'll see what happens!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Doctor Who

TIMELORD, BITCHES!
 
*screams and runs about*
 
Oh, please, Holy You Tube, bring forth out of your virgin manger a pirate copy of Voyage of the Damned....AAaaaaAAAaaaamen!!!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

I found a new blog

And yummy! I was googling for a suitable ginger cookie recipe and found this place.

Extremely Ginger

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Brit tv/cinema

Dude, British tv/cinema cracks me up. You see all these actors and actresses popping up in shows you like.
 
For instance, the guy who plays Owen (?) in Torchwood was just on an episode of Inspector Lynley Mysteries I just watched....along with the guy who plays evil Sir Guy in Robin Hood. HA HA HA HA HA HAAAA!
 
And how I have - FUCKING SWEET - sorry, I just got distracted by stuff Rodney Yee is doing. Yes, I have a new yoga intermediate video of Rodney Yee's. SWEET. Doing inversions and crap.
 
I am SO GLAD to be done with student teaching so I can finally get my fat(ter) ass back into the gym and yoga. Oh god, how I have missed yoga.

Friday, December 21, 2007

WHOOOOOO!!! ROSE!!!!

Three episodes this coming season will have ROSE BACK!!

Not to ruin anybody's opinion...

But I did get my tattoo. I don't think I mentioned it around here yet.
 
Got it this past Tuesday. Took freaking FOUR hours. I was ready to hit somebody by the end of it.
 
It's still in the process of healing. Some flaking of the skin will be going on.

Comments

Just wanted to say "sorry" about my horrid lack of approving comments of late! I kept meaning to, but have been running about like crazy.

Ay ay ay!

Will be so glad to just sit down and get some REST this coming week (I hope). I have my xmas shopping done for the most part.

Still need to finish baking cookies and crocheting a freaking huge afghan for my mother.

ACK!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Reso-wha?

This article cracks me up.

Be it resolved: More sex in 2008
Sex & Relationships | Remove factors from your life that contribute to diminished drive, such as bad nutrition habits, lack of sleep and stress


So, sex is healthy (assuming you're not fucking someone whose genitalia are about to drop off from some gross disease) and we should have more of it?

GREAT! Sign me up!

Oh, that's right: I think most guys are childish idiots.

Is it just me, or would legalized prostitution really be a god-send? Come on, the government is always wanting tax money. They could tax the bejesus out of this, and no one would complain. Set up a nice little place, keep it clean, make sure everyone's got their rabies shots in order - dude, what's not to love?

And think about it: we could really have sex-ed classes! No more learning from cheesey pornos or grainy amateur videos! Take Sex Positions 101 Class once a week for two hours for 16 weeks. Tuition only $2,000! No partner? No problem! Select a stud from the house stables! (Please note, I want full equality here: we ladies should have a fine assortment to select from as well!)

You may think I'm being a little Swiftian here, but actually, I don't see why we don't legalize the oldest profession in the world. Morals schmorals. Give people a safe and professional standardized outlet for some of these urges, I say. It's not going to increase cheating - - that stuff happens already regardless.

I could use some SexEd 101. It's been...a while. *ponders* Feb 1....2004? I think? Maybe? Oh hell, I can barely remember. Every time I try to imagine myself engaging in that activity, I practically start laughing. I look ridiculous in my own mind. This does not bode well for ending my trip through the love-desert.

That and the fact that I've seen far too many fucked up relationships. Who needs it! (Ah, but see, those legalized institutions would clear all that up in a jiffy! No muss, no fuss. No relationships! Just a matter of business!)

Lost Causes

Boy, I can tell what is going to bust my chops as a teacher. When kids (AND their parents) make a big fuss about setting up a time to meet with you to get extra help because they - wah wah wah have ADHD - and then don't fucking show up.
 
This may be completely un-PC of me, but I think a lot of this ADD and ADHD is made up - just people looking for an excuse for Susie or Timmy to get special treatment when they're just fuck-all LAZY.
 
So, this kid was supposed to come in this morning for help reviewing for the final. I had confirmed with him TWICE last week. Does he show up? No. I ask him where he was during class, he's like "Oh, no, it was this afternoon, not the morning." Ok, whatever.
 
So I wait this afternoon for twenty minutes. He doesn't show. Idiot. You flunk my final and I am NOT going to feel sorry for you. In fact, I sort of hope you fail it. Punk.
 
I know of at least two kids who are going to bomb the final for sure, though. In the morning class, it's the kid who has been excessively absent (and his parents yank him out for vacation, too - smart move) and hasn't handed in jack shit. In the afternoon honors class, there's one kid who's just fucked around and been generally obnoxious in class, asking off-topic questions all the time. His mom is a headcase, too. She thinks her darling boy shouldn't have to take the final until he can get his test scores up.
 
Uhhhhh....what?
 
Yeah.
 
Same kid is not doing well in Honors Biology either. It sounds like both science and English teachers would be relieved to put the kibosh on him continuing with honors next year. Honestly, the kid just doesn't have the requisite study skills or attitude.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

You'd better lay your money dooooown...

I went to the store and actually bought a Vogue magazine.
 
Normally - NO. Never. I mean, how the fuck does a magazine full of stick-thin glassy-eyed heroin-sheik twits appeal to me? Answer: it doesn't.
 
That said: it had Penelope Cruz on the cover. I DIG Penelope Cruz. Dude, if I were a lesbian, she'd totally be it. PC is the shiznit. I love the Almovodar movies she's in. She hasn't gotten anything but shit in American cinema (Captain Corelli's Mandolin? Puh-lease.)
 
AND...well, they totally went Espana in the photoshoots of her. They had MATADORS. *drools* Okay, fucking HOT matadors - like real ones - with tight asses in those ridiculously tight matador pants. (Wait a minute, is this where we got "gaucho pants" from, too...?) Holy crap. Rowr. I held one page up and just stared at this guy's butt for a minute. It was that good.
 
Hysterical, too. One of the quotes they pulled out on the page is this:
 
"Spanish bullfighter heartthrob Cayetano Rivera Ordonez, who has a cameo in Manolete, says his sole role in the forthcoming film was 'to flirt with Penelope. And, well, that doesn't require much acting.'"
 
MMmmMMMMmmmmMMMMMmmmmm Ordonez

FIN (almost)

I
 
IS
 
GRADUATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Still have two more days of the Great Cathol School, however.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Holee fuck

I have been baking cookies since the minute I got in the door from school. And I STILL HAVE TO WRITE UP THE FINAL EXAM BY TOMORROW MORNING. FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK.
 
Bonus: I  HAD MY EXIT MEETING WITH MY CTs and SUPERVISOR THIS MORNING. I AM IN THE CLEAR, BEYOTCHES!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Three More Days

Just that much more.
 
And then I won't have to look at these crazy religious banner filled hallways.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Food!

I made a batch of peanut brittle tonight. I should go see if it's fully set. I used the recipe right on the back of the raw peanuts package. Mmmeh. I like Alton Brown's recipe better. It's a little tricker - seriously, you have to slam that shit out of the pot and onto a silpat mat QUICK or you are going to have rock hard shit in that pan - but it sets better.
 
Peanut Brittle. It is SO easy to make, people. Try it and you will never get the shit from the store. I never even liked the shit until I made it. Yum-ee. Put a teaspon or so of cayenne pepper in it too, makes the mouth HAPPY.

School's out!

It's an ICE DAY (not a snow day). I was able to fitfully sleep a little more today. I kinda feel hungover right now, although there was seriously no alcohol involved. I just sleep crappy.

Have a stack of fucking shit to grade. Must start now.

Fucking A. This means I have to cram SO MUCH shit into one less day at school. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

OH, and my tattoo appointment got canceled as well, damnit, because of the ice. Sandy called me this morning to let me know the shop is closed today. Fuck again. I just hope we can get an appointment scheduled before the end of the year. It is hugely important to me that I get this tattoo done before the end of 2007.

You see, 2007 is my "Strength" year. Numerology thing. Take your birth month, day and current year - add those numbers up. That tattoo is based off the tarot card for "Strength".

Next year's, get this: the Hermit. Think less about being alone and focus on the Hermit's purpose: he lights the lamp of knowledge and leads others to it.

Don't ever say there wasn't a purpose or some guiding force in life (even if sometimes said force acts like a fucking diva).

Monday, December 10, 2007

Yoga

I went to the yoga studio tonight. First time I've been back there since August. I'd gone a couple weeks ago to the community center where Wendy is now. Woo, yoga! Happy thought for day is yoga.
 
Oh god, why am I up so late writing a fucking test? Gah. SO TIRED. Still have to find a fucking paper.
 
Is it bad that I hope we have a late start tomorrow possibly because of bad weather? I could do with an extra hour of sleep, damn it.
 
P.S. TATTOO!

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Cookies

Made a whole bunch of cookie dough today. It's in the freezer, ready to be pulled out and baked when the need arises. I'm going to bring cookies to school for my classes on Friday.
 
Oh, and Golden Compass? HA HA HA HA HA! Oh, you stupid little religious nutjobs. It always cracks me up; you give such great free publicity to the things you want people to ignore by creating a ruckus and making loud protestations.
 
It's a fucking book, and now it's a fucking movie. If you don't like it, THEN DON'T FUCKING READ IT OR WATCH IT. Oh, but that's too easy, you want everyone else to lockstep with you. FACE IT, not everyone drinks your purple kool-aid!
 
And now...need to go off and find a goddamn ginger cookie recipe. I can't remember where I put the ones I had found.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Charlie - Life

DUDE. My Charlie had better win this out. I am watching "Life" and ..... Jeeeezus! Come on, Charlie. I'm sitting cross-legged glaring at the tv.

OMG

MY FEET ARE SO FUCKING COLD THEY ARE BLOCKS OF ICE!!
 
I HATE WINTER!!!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

hiding

I'm hiding out in the telephone room/closet. Ahhh, blissful non-Mass silence. I've gotten some grading done. This is fabulous.

Evading...

Trying to evade the last stupid Mass here. Do I feel like spending an hour and a half in a freaking Advent Mass? I THINK NOT.
 
I could spend my time better: like grading papers, which I've got a ton of!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Stuff

I have 41 hours of vacation time left for work. I need to double-check which days I took off for the rest of the year. I have TEN!!! class days left. Well, 12 if you include the two pre-final exam review days. Which I'm not, because those will be cake.
 
Schweet.
 
God, I still have so much shit to do.
 
Hey, did I mention I got my hair cut yesterday? Pretty short. I left my front and sides about the same length, but the back angles up. A bob, basically. Kathy said the salon had been doing those a lot recently. It looks pretty sassy, although I'm still getting used to it. She really cut it in at the back so that you get the full effect. She also razored it, so I have some pricklies at the nape of my neck.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Is there any more proof needed...

that religion turns people's brains to fucking diseased mush?
 
First: Sudanese Muslims call for teacher to be executed (aka the "teddy bear" incident)
 
Second: Jehovah's Witness 8 y.o. boy refuses blood transfusion (because it would make him "unclean") and therefore dies. Boy's aunt was his legal guardian - she's a wackjob JW, but the actual parents are not.
 
Oh, I also love the new religious banners made by students here that say "Thinking is not as important as love" according to St. Therese something-or-other. Yes, love is important, but THINKING IS IMPORTANT AS WELL!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Blokes

Is it just me, or is Damian Lewis just the hottest thing? Deee-amn. I love him in "Life". And holy shit, did not know he's British.....

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Ow

Oh my god. I went to yoga yesterday morning. I've really missed it, but there is a price to be paid for not going for THREE MONTHS. Jesus. My arm and upper body strength is SHOT. It hurts to raise my arms now, too. Gawd.
 
I won't be neglecting yoga like that again!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Travel

I took a look at the Trek cycling tours website. Ooooh boy, that was a mistake. A bicycling tour in Provence? Divine!
 
If the lack of money isn't laughable enough, the fact that I would have to bike like a goddamn maniac from now until June when it goes would be. I am in NO shape for a biking tour of between 10-50 miles a day. Maybe my legs are, but I know my...delicates are not. Not after last summer's fiasco in Milwaukee. Of course, most of that pain was due to the fact I was stupidly on a mountain bike instead of a road bike...

Do this

I made Red Wine Poached Pears with Marscapone Filling for dinner yesterday and finally got around to eating one of them. SOFUCKINGGOOD.
 
Make them. I didn't even make them *correctly*. You're supposed to core them and stuff them with the marscapone filling, but I couldn't figure out how the hell to stuff them, so I just served the marscapone on the side.
 
6 firm Bartlett pears (DO NOT USE soft-ripe ones, they'll fall apart)
1 bottle red wine
1 vanilla bean, whole
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 cups sugar
2 (8 oz) containers marscapone cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter
 
Peel pears, leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cool pears in liquid to room temp. You can refrigerate them in the poaching liquid until ready to fill.
 
Remove stems from pears and set them aside. Core pears with an apple corer, leaving pear whole.
 
Whisk together marscapone cheese, heavy cream, pinch cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag, or if you do not have one, use wax paper tightly wrapped into a cone with the corner snipped off. Pipe filling into cored pears and finish by putting the stems gently into the marscapone filling on top of the pears.
 
Bring sauce up to a simmer and reduce by half. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir until combined. Spoon generously over pears. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

A Thanksgiving, of sorts

So, spent yesterday evening baking pies and prepping other things for today. Got up early today and kept on going. Turkey took FOREVER to finish. We finally ate about 6:30 or 7pm. No pie yet. We're over at my dad's.
 
My grandma is really, really bad. It would be a blessing for her to pass today, as the hospice thinks she will. She hasn't been able to eat or drink (if she tries, she throws it back up) for at least the past two days. Since yesterday, pretty much, she's just been on hourly doses of morphine to keep the pain managed and to keep her unconscious. It was pretty hard on Tuesday to be here and hear her say she was hungry, but being unable to feed her because we all (and she did, too) that it just wouldn't stay down.
 
She can't even swallow now. She's just making gurgling sounds.
 
This is a cruel way to go. Cancer really really sucks.
 
My dad is is none too good shape, either. I guess he started crying today when the hospice worker told him it would probably be today and to just keep her doped up. I'm telling you people, in my 30 years of living, I have only seen my dad cry ONCE. That's probably going to be the part that freaks me out the most.
 
And my brother is in the fucking room praying the goddamn rosary. Fuck me, that's freaking me out, too. When the fuck did HE go all holy-roller?
 
If you ask me, god pretty much sucks for allowing people to die in this much undignified pain.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Tired

So EXHAUSTED today.
 
My B class should be known as "B" for "Busted/Broken". What a useless class.
 
I can't wait for noon tomorrow when it is officially HOLIDAY time. I am getting a manicure/pedicure and then I am going to DRINK LIKE A FISH while I prep food.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Hello to the Netlands

First, why have I not been receiving some notices to approve comments? Yeeesh.

SECOND, my international minded peeps, check out: HUBWEAR . The "one way" questions kills me. I know I'd love mine to be one way! Guess which codes I used? Yeah, tough question, right?

Sunday, November 18, 2007

HOLY JEEBUS

I have my oral exam tomorrow. I don't know if I'm nervous or not. I mean, part of me wants to freak out. The other part is going "FUCK IT". I am allowed to bring in five index cards with me regarding the questions (see below). I've slapped some shit down, but I think I'm going to mainly be relying on my ability to Blarney. Full half of these questions are stupid - I HANDED IN MY PORTFOLIO FOR YOU TO READ. What do you want me to tell you about five of them for AGAIN? I'm just going to tell you the same shit I wrote down!!
 
One more damn hoop. I am so ready to be DONE. I have nothing planned for my morning classes tomorrow. Oops. Nothing really planned for this week. I know what I have to cover, but I have no activities planned. Again, oops. Ah well, it's a short "week" - Mon, Tues and noon dismissal (25 minute classes) on Wed. I can bullshit for that much, right. After the break is when I need to kick my ass into high gear though. That's my last major book - Fahrenheit 451. Oh dear. Just get me through these next three days...PLEASE.
 
I could have invited one of my other profs to the board for my oral. I was just thinking. The one I really would have invited would have been Jack Pinnix. Dude was awesome and the best teacher I could have had when I first started the program. I wish he hadn't killed himself. God damn. He was seriously the best, and I hope he realizes that now wherever he's at. He was never a faker, and had so much great insight. Peace out, Jack.
 
1. Describe how literacy/language arts education has changed over the last two decades with respect to theory and pedagogy.
 
2. Provide an overview of your cumulative portfolio. Select five of the College of Education's performance outcomes/goals and describe the ways in which you have achieved these outcomes. Include a reflection on the influence of specific program coursework in your achievement of the specific outcome.
 
3. Summarize the content of your major research paper. Indicate how this knowledge will impact your teaching.
 
4. Provide of an overview of a major curriculum unit you have prepared.

Friday, November 16, 2007

London

I shouldn't have checked.
 
There are $500ish tickets to London from Chicago. In February, but WHO CARES?

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Iron Chef!

YAY! Symon won! I totally wanted the bad ass from Cleveland to win!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Ratatouille

Oh my god. The Ratatouille movie is KILLING me. I am feeling fuzzy thoughts for...RATS.

Damn anthropomorphizing.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

If you want crap, but it from China!

Okay, seriously. Our government is, surprise-surprise, failing us yet again. WHY are we still doing business with China? They suck for any number of reasons, but all this toy bullshit is just beyond ridiculous.
 
Now they're recalling toys BECAUSE IF INGESTED, THEY GET METABOLISED AS GH-FUCKING-B?!
 
If I had a kid, you can be damn sure that I wouldn't be buying any "made in China" toys. Hell no. That kid would just have to make do without.
 
And then the added gall of a Chinese town or county thinking they will sue Mattel for "defamation"? (Did anyone else hear about this yesterday?) That town or whatever can go fuck itself.
 
DEAR CHINA,
 
THANKS FOR THE STIR-FRY, TEA AND CONFUCIUS, BUT YOUR MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS ARE POISONOUS SHIT. Ban me from ever visiting, I don't care. Don't wanna go there ever.
 
 


More Evangelicals Concluding God is Green (WTF?)

Anyone catch this headline on the online news vendors? Yeah, morons, welcome to the real world. You idiotic FREAKS.

HATE

I FUCKING HATE PEOPLE WHO WHISTLE IN THE DAMN TEACHER'S LOUNGE. YOU'RE NOT A BIRD! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO WORK!
 
I HATE THE STUPID SCREECHING HENS IN HERE, TOO. SHUT UP! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO WORK! OH MY GOD!

Monday, November 05, 2007

Calendar Time

Can you believe it's already November 5th? CRIMINY.
 
It also means it's calendar buyin' time. I love calendars. Especially ones of Britain and Ireland. Speaking of which: SHOP!

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Did I mention...

I PASSED that god-awful social sciences: political science test from early October?

HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA *draws breath*

OH my gawd. I can't believe I passed it, but I did. There were maybe five genuine poli sci questions on it, I swear. I got something like 30 more points than needed, which I think is pretty good.

I will be able to pull the trifecta people: English, history AND government. Right-wingers everywhere, lock up your kids! Because I's a gonna edumacate your chillen!

On a complete aside, the sheer number of parents who don't - you know - actually PARENT astounds me. Every week I hear of something stupid a parent does. The parent that claims education, values, whatever is important. Trust me, folks, your kids aren't going to know or appreciate the value of hard-work, dedication, integrity, accountability, etc., if all they have to look at is your pitiful example. I've got parents pulling kids out of classes for a week or more to go on some fancy pants cruise, vacation or attend a wedding. Better yet, a parent whose real concern in DEMANDING a make up exam well past the deadline is not because the are concerned about the child's education. No, no, no. It's because if little Joe or Mary doesn't get that good G.P.A., the car insurance (for the brand new car mummy and daddy bought their darling) will be higher.

YOU PEOPLE ARE PATHETIC.

Also: still hate sitting through 90 minute masses. Please send booze. I'm telling you, halfway through I wanted nachos, a beer and several chasers.

I did nothing today. That was bad. Because now I have waaay too much grading to get done tomorrow. Egads. I just needed a day OFF though.

Cojones!

http://dailyherald.com/story/?id=69606

Gotta love the cats

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1322921#

Saturday, October 27, 2007

The Ginger People - Stem Ginger Gingerbread

The Ginger People - Stem Ginger Gingerbread

Hey, does anyone have a kickass ginger cookie recipe? Preferably one that used THREE types of ginger?

Friday, October 26, 2007

Pets

Wow. I just read this article on slate about questionable veterinary practices. Looks like with everything else, vets are also trying to get the most income on unnecessary tests as well!
 
 
What really bugs me are the claims on yearly vaccinations. I never even thought of it that way, and I totally have to agree. If you build up a life-long immunity with ONE, why the hell are we required to spend all that money over and over again on yearly shots?!
 
Pfft. Forget that, I'm not going to feel bad for not taking my cats in for shots. Never again, not unless there is something seriously wrong.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

And the lights are on...

I finally get the "taco" thing. Taco Hell is doing their stupid promotion thing. Jesus. They can keep my taco. That shit is toxic!

In other news. Very fucking tired.

Have been having a horrible time sleeping this week and I don't know why. I sleep really lightly, and keep tossing and turning. Today, it's finally caught up to me, and I was so tired at times, that my eyes were unfocused and I was dizzy. NOT GOOD.

I picked up some Advil Nighttime and just took a couple. Hopefully that will help keep me knocked out.

And now? Bed. And hopefully sleepy sleep.

Loud and Annoying

The teachers lounge is filled in the morning with yelling, gossiping hens. ANNOYING. Jesus, don't you people ever SHUT UP?

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Bionic

I'm diggin the Bionic Woman show. Diggin' the cute CIA agent boy more they got to play in tonight's ep.

Not a fantastic start...

Talk about staying one step ahead here, and flying by the seat of your pants.
 
Today, I did the briefest of brief cruises about Expository writing. I know what it is (duh), but teaching it is another matter. I was re-reading my info over it last night.
 
So I was already feeling shakey about that, and then I could NOT sleep. I kept flailing in my sleep. Then, around 2am, I got a horrific case of cramps. Damn it all. I managed to swallow down some advil and then I just squirmed in pain for about an hour until I was finally able to fall asleep.
 
Unsure of material, crampy, sleepless and cranky. What a fantastic way to attempt to teach. I was SO CLOSE to throwing in the towel and calling in sick. Kept having to give myself a pep talk this morning: fake it till you make it.
 
And then, the mother of one of my students emailed questioning her daughter's score on the essay. Good student, really, but she handed it in LATE. Per my C.T.'s already long established procedures, late material is only worth 1/2 the possible points. So, thankfully, my C.T. was able to quickly and effectively counter the parent on that, but it still sucks. These parents would be better off telling their kids to do their work ON TIME. Believe me, when you get to college, your professors are going to laugh in your face.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Lovely

I have wine.

This is a good. Check that. Great.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Tired, so tired

People, I can't tell you how tired I am.

I am eyes nearly rolling in my head tired. I could not fall into a restful sleep last night. Certainly didn't help my teaching today. It seemed like *everyone* was sluggish today. My afternoon C.T. and I were looking at eachother with a dumb expression on our face, clutching the desks. The kids were comatose, too. Yeesh.

I got most of my shit in order for tomorrow. Time to tuck off to bed. *yawn*

One more thing:

I AM SICK ALREADY OF CHRISTMAS! There is Christmas shit overtaking Target already. It's not even Halloween for Chrissake! It's like everyone completely fucking forgets Thanksgiving, too.

That said, I made the mistake of looking at the Harrods website (yes, that Harrods, Harrods of London). OH, I weeep! I'm not a major fan, but I do love the tins they package cookies in. I have a cookie tin up on a shelf in my room that is just cute. Has a drawing of a postman pulling letters from the big red letterbox. I was thinking of possibly buying a cute tin of something that pictures something super-Britishy for Christmas. Or a Harrods tree ornament?  Exchange rates and shipping rates, however, may bar that from happening. Did I hear this right - the Canadian dollar is worth MORE than the U.S. now? *disgusted* THANK YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE BUSH. Yah, bastard wants another $46 mil for his illegal fucking war while the rest of us slave away for peanuts?! FUCK YOU!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Sad and Pathetic

It's terribly pathetic that mid-way through my
semester of STUDENT TEACHING (as in, not fully
fledged) I am already dreading and procrastinating at
grading these damn paragraphs of my students.

I know, I know. I don't mark them down over what I
haven't taught them. But the writing is ATROCIOUS. I
think I could run out of ink in my red pen.

No. Not going to run out of ink. Will resist. Will
only mark up one or two examples of things they did
wrong on their respective paragraphs, then tell them
to be on the lookout.

If they're ever to write well, they need to WRITE AND
WRITE AND WRITE MORE.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Cathol

can go boink itself!

Does anyone have any idea how hard it is for me to not
run screaming in my placement every time I hear some
crazy ass "Right to Life" march thing at school?

Why not "RIGHT TO MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS AND
YOUR OWN GODDAMNED BODY"?

Bitch, please. If you really respected ALL life, then
how about ensuring that those babies get cared for
after they're born - including the little darkies most
of you whitebread city folk don't give a rat's ass
about. How about ending a senseless and falsely run
war for profit in the middle east? How 'bout? How 'bout?

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

So tired

Too damn tired to do a fucking thing.

How Does it Feel?

Hey, Diamondbacks,

YOU SUCK TOO! HA HA HA HA HAHAHHAAAAA

Monday, October 15, 2007

Schadenfreude

Let's face it: it's gotta suck to be a Diamondbacks "fan" right now.
 
HA HA HA HA HA HA! SUCK IT!
 
 

Sunday, October 14, 2007

London Calling

London (or Britain in general), it would appear, is intruding upon my thoughts again. The weather is gray and rainy. Nigella Lawson is on the food network and they showed some London streets. Dear Lord, Nigella has such unhealthy eating habits, though. (Oh, and Ina Garten's show did fish n' chips.) Bridget Jones's Diary is simultaneously on A&E. And Kilroy is hosting a carnival about cities: London, specifically.

Oh my God, I'm just having a Brit craving right now. :( I miss it! I miss you, Mum!

I'm hoping something will miraculously happen wherein I can travel within the next six months. Our profit sharing check from work comes out the first week of December. I'll probably have to use most of that to recover from the financial depredations of not having worked full-time for four months, though. Tax filing time will happen early February and hopefully I'll get something from that.

The most oddball thing is that I qualified as an entrant in this local radio station thing. It's the XLC treasure chest. Basically, the entrants all get a key. Whoever has the key that opens the treasure chest, wins it. There are some other prizes as well, like gift cards and such. But I think the chest has $5K. That, in my opinion, would be swell. I THINK I AM THE MOST DESERVING PERSON!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

It's "Habanero"

One mutha bright sweater

101207_20321.jpg

Steve Carell

I totally need to see Dan in Real Life. Heh.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Dasvedanya

Shiiiiiit. I just saw "Eastern Promises", the Russian
mob movie with Viggo Mortensen.

THAT was some nasty violence. Up close and real personal.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Don't wanna be here

I am in no way, shape or form prepared to be at school today. I don't want to deal with anywith. It's Homecoming week here, too. Really, is now a good time for sports? NO.
 
I still want to watch the game on Saturday. But more for the sick fascination of watching something die, slowly and painfully. I don't know that I want to be in Wrigley surrounded by thousands of angry drunks. WELL THEY SHOULD BE ANGRY. Seriously, if someone ran on to the field and bitchslapped Soriano, I would cheer. What a waste.
 
I feel like my sports heart has been ripped out.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Reason Eleventy Million Why I Hate Catholicism

Voice post to come soon.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

The strain is unbearable...

I WANT TO WATCH THE GAME NOW. I AM FREAKING OUT.

Of course

Of course Fox sports is picking us to lose. But, much like everything else, Fox sucks.
 
I am going to spontaneously combust - this game is driving me nuts already and it hasn't even been played.
 
Zambrano, you need to be a man tonight. Dempster: you drive me and everyone else in Chicago nuts, but you need to prove all the doubters wrong and make everyone play whiffle ball when you go to close.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

DeRosa Blog Update

Yeah, for those of you who are psycho like me: HE UPDATED AND HE USED HIS SEXY PIC!!!

Cubs

Seriously, I think I'm going to burst with this madness. Game. Tomorrow. OMMFG. *flails*

Monday, October 01, 2007

Bad Day for a Quiz

For the students, really, but I don't feel so hot either! So, I administered my first quiz today. It was on the first half of our parts of the sentence schtick. It's a darn good thing my C.T. told me to make it worth a lot less. If not, these kids would all be failing.

I guess now I get to tell these kids that this is what happens when you don't take notes like you're supposed to. They were all "lah de dah" half the time. And they were like "you're not going to have the diagram models up on the wall????!!!!" Uh, no. The point is for you to KNOW this stuff, Einsteins.

I don't know how many times I've told them, you will NEVER EVER EVER infinity find your subject in a prepositional phrase. So, I put in what I thought was a "gimmee" question on the quiz. "True or False: You can find a subject in a prepositional phrase. " The second class all go it right, but my first class? It's like I never even taught them. Half the time they're not awake anyway.

A lot of the diagrams were atrocious, too. I'm going to have to inundate them with diagramming homework for the next four days. I know diagramming is the ass-end of exciting, but come on. When did I ever show you diagram models with crooked lines? YES, it DOES matter if your line for an adjective or adverb is straight or if you make it "L" shaped because the L shape means something completely different! Like: indirect object!

My C.T. was astounded when I showed her some of the quizzes. I told her I felt so bad and was wondering was it me? She told me to go over the stuff again, assign more diagramming, but that she thought I gave them every opportunity to ask questions and they were the ones not taking notes. Hell, I practically begged them to ask me questions.

Today, I told them that if I wrote it up on the board, then they'd better be taking notes. They grudgingly took out their notebooks. (Don't even get me started on this one kid who habitually doesn't bring a freaking pencil or pen to class. Seriously, I'm going to start keeping tabs on how often he does this in the next week. If it gets insane, I will forbid him from asking someone else for a pen, and then I'll tell him he's got a choice. He will either serve a detention for habitually coming to class unprepared, or he can take a detention and either get a pen from someone or from his locker.) Tomorrow, when they get their quizzes back, especially the first class, I am going to tell them again: 1) TAKE NOTES and 2)ASK QUESTIONS.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Things that make you go hmmm

What is it about a Cubs championship that makes
me....well, a little bit horny?

Stick a Pacifier in It!!

Here's a tip people who breed:
 
When, in a public place, such as a Borders Cafe, I can STILL hear your squalling brat even when I'm blasting my ears with music, YOU SHOULD SHUT YOUR FUCKING KID UP. BEFORE I DO.
 
THANK YOU

Cubs

THe first thing I did this morning was check the
SunTimes to make sure it wasn't all a dream.

THE CUBS CLINCHED THE DIVISION LAST NIGHT!

FINALLY back in the playoffs!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

eh?

I SO think a former history teacher of mine (from last spring) hit on me over email.
 
Weird.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Today is the Day

I take over my first two classes. Nervous. I worry
about my plans either having too little or too much
time. You just can't tell how fast the students are
going to go through this until...you start!

Well, I should know how good or how bad by 11:34
today!

Monday, September 24, 2007

You knooooow...

If for some unbelieveably lucky reason, I do get that
treasure chest, I am so getting that tattoo early.

And then I'm buying a plane ticket straight to London,
bitches. And I'm staying at the Caesar off Hyde Park.

Honest to God!

I had the WEIRDEST FREAKING PHONE CALL and I almost didn't pick it up. It was the local radio station. They're doing their "treasure chest" thing. You qualify, get a key, and if your key opens up the chest, you get the money ($5K).
 
I was a complete idiot. But like I knew it was these guys. The DJ says "Who is this?" And I'm like "Uh, who is THIS?"
 
"Check your caller ID." I check and thank god I know the number! I was like "XLC?"
 
I still don't know why *I* got called. He says I texted in for their qualifying thing on the 17th of September. I COMPLETELY DO NOT RECALL DOING SO. What the hell, though. It's an opportunity for $5,000! As they say, do not kick a gift horse in the mouth.
 
But wait...the greeks also infiltrated the Trojans with a horse.
 
Do I trust the horse? Do I not? I listened to the radio and I was on it. Sounding like a dork. So it is legit.
 
STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHY THEY CALLED ME.

Friday, September 21, 2007

the DOCTOR

ROFL!
 
Dude, captain JACK and the DOCTOR ARE BAAAACK, BITCHES.
 
And DEREK FUCKING JACOBI!!!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I am an English Geek (and proud of it)

Okay, I'm not so hot or confident about the sentence diagramming I'm going to have to do, but then....then I found this website: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams/diagrams.htm
 
It is majesty. It is awesome. Check out the diagram of the freaking Preamble to the Constitution. I think I may tell the freshmen that it's their homework for the night, wait for them to freak out, and then go "JUST KIDDING!!"
 
Ha!
 
This is also majesty: http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ SO FREAKING COOL. Except you have to pay (I think) for full access. Not so cool.
 
Also, I am hanging around the French and Spanish teachers and it is hysterical. The printer ran out of paper and I went "Profesora! Yo necessito papel y yo no se donde esta."
 
Yes. Things are cool.
 
Just ask me if that's still the case after I start teaching next week. I already know which classes are going to be the hard ones. Period B (those kids are still zombies at that hour) and Period H (last period, no one wants to be there).

Monday, September 17, 2007

Frustration

So it's settled: next week I will take over the two
morning classes. And I will be teaching grammar. The
parts of the sentence. As diagramming and all that.
Ew. I completely understand the necessity of grammar,
but the way I sort of have to do it is completely out
of context. That's the way they have already started
it (they're doing parts of speech now); it's
completely unrelated to any meaningful text or
situations.

I mean, crap, do the kids already KNOW any of this? Is
there part of this they could skip? Parts they need
MORE help in? Rote memorization of grammar skills and
concepts is just NOT the best practice and yet people
persist in doing it.

I'll do my best to bring in literature, authentic
texts, or even write short paragraphs of their own,
but this sucks.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Today is a Lazy Day

Well, not quite. I just didn't do any "work" as in
school work. I got up and met my boss this morning to
do our weekly update.

Came back home and did some cleaning.

Went out to the store and did some grocery shopping. I
picked up the last items I needed to make my FUCKING
FANTASTIC beef bourguinon (recipe from Tyler
Florence). Beefy-culinary-sex-in-your-mouth, that's
how good it is, bitches.

I also made an apple pie, which is cooling. Really
disappointed in about 3/4 of the apples (granny smith)
that I bought - brown on the INSIDE. WTF? Thankfully,
I also bought golden delicious and pink ladies, so I
still had plenty. I put in some fresh grated ginger as
well. Oh YES, that just perked it up unbelieveably! (I
tasted an apple slice after I made the filling.) I
can't wait to have a small slice.

MMM. Weather is really autumnal today - perfect for
the beef bourguinon and apple pie. I love it. Gorgeous
day. Crisp of air and blue of sky. Is there anything
better than autumn?

AND PUMPKINS. I love pumpkins. Pumpkins must be the
cheeriest vegetable (?) ever. So round! So orange! You
can roll them! You can make a pie! Scones! Beer! Lots
of things! AND JACK O'LANTERNS!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Thursday the FIRST

It's just after 6am. I'm UP. I slept well. Time to do
an asana or two to get the blood flowing.

Time to get ready.

FIRST DAY!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Training

I just came back from three hours' worth of the most
inane "training" on abuse prevention in the Catholic
diocese. Seriously.

I'm not exactly the most unbiased person, either, when
it comes to the heirarchy. I had to bite my tongue
during parts of the training video where the church
official was like "to tell the truth, we have made
mistakes in the past..."

NO. REALLY? That's your stellar day-late-dollar-short
remark. I'm sure that makes abuse victims feel better,
especially considering there are still ongoing cases
of things being covered up.

Still, it was one of those things to just go to, get
through, and just file. *rolls eyes*

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Still laughing

It's probably not a GOOD thing that I've been singing
"Good Golly Miss Molly/Devil With the Blue Dress"
nonstop since finding out I have to interview at the
Catholic School. Is it?

I suppose I should be glad Sister Joan the Principal
can't meet with me today and it's just with the
common-folk teachers I'm meeting.

Oh my GAWD

No pun intended...I may yet wind up at a local Catholic high school.
 
*laughs*
 
For those of you who know me, this is the ultimate irony....*proceeds to laugh self sick*

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Dismal Day

After such a dismal Chicago sports day, I am watching Doctor Who.
 
Seeing David Tennant in a tux does weird things to me. Rrrawr.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Graham Norton

OH JESUS, I am DYYYYYYYING.

Just dying. I haven't laughed this hard in a while. This guy they've got in the "tardis" is completely a MORON.

Torchwood Premiere (well, late for the US at any rate)

Oh, dude, that was SUCH a rip-off of the Witchblade.
*snort* Amusing, but still a rip-off. AND I THOUGHT I
KNEW WHERE woman-who-takes-her-job-too-seriously WAS
FROM!! Thank you, IMDB!

And thank christ, Cubs got their heads out of their asses.

Friday, September 07, 2007

A favorite author...

Madeleine L'Engle died today, aged 88. I loved her
books.

Family of Blood

Holy fucking wow.

That was amazing. I've got to say, the Doctor comes off so cold and callous as compared to "John Smith". I'm sure that was intentional, and hell it really added a neat twist.

Glad there was something good on. Because the Cubs are fucking killing me.

What's really killing me: the ads for Doctor Who S3 DVDs. I wants it NOW!

Another Day of Freaking Out

Woke up today wondering what to do. I should have gone to the gym. Actually, I could still do that, and I think I will as soon as I'm done here. Just have to be home by 7pm to watch DOCTOR WHO *happy screams*.
 
I popped in to the office for a little bit today. NOTHING going on there, which is quite strange. I made several phone calls beseeching help for my placement. A former boss of mine whose wife is/was a teacher around here. Left a voicemail. My current boss actually called me after I left the office (she wasn't there when I stopped in), and once I told her the situation I was in, she said she'd call a few people as she used to work in the offices for a school district up here.
 
Called my friend, Kathy, just to talk and she has clients who work in districts (albeit in McHenry). Don't care at this point! JUST WANT A SCHOOL!! She made a phone call and got back to me with someone who said to have NEIU send in my file. YAY - some headway at least! I called the placement office and left a VM saying pretty please to do that asap.
 
MHS called me back today and said they had my file and were trying to see if anyone would be interested. Their policy is to team up STs with TWO teachers, not just one. Another thing that ticked me off though: MHS guy was surprised that I was trying to get placed for THIS semester. You could tell. So again, NEIU is the school known in the area for dropping the ball: all the other schools have had their student teachers placed ages ago!!
 
God. Please let something happen and SOON.
 
 
 

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Really Need Help

Seriously, people, if you could send all positive vibes my way for getting a student teaching placement, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
I AM SERIOUSLY FREAKING OUT.
 
It is TWO weeks in and still nothing. Okay, when the placement guy shuts the door and tells me (even though it's not standard practice) to start calling any contacts *I* have, that's a BIG RED FLAG.
 
He's talking of placing me in a middle school. NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. I need a HIGH SCHOOL experience.
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send good vibes. Needing them, and badly!

Luciano

I never really listened to opera, but wow, that was a man. I'm watching the news and they showed clips of him.
 
Amazing that sounds like that can come from a human body. I hope his funeral has plenty of music. It would be a good way to celebrate his life.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Cheese-tastic!

I just watched SUCH a cheesey movie, but I loved it.
LOL

"The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a
Mountain"

I mean, young Hugh Grant, how can it NOT be
cheesetastic?

Oh, the Welsh.

I knew I loved the movie like five minutes in.

With no school...

All I'm managing to do is lay about and get lazy. I
mean, I TRY, but I stayed up late ONE night and now I
can't get back into waking up at a decent hour (by
that I mean six or seven am).

Really. I just flop in bed, trying to wake up, but
unable to emerge from my "waaah planet am I on?" state
until 10 or, now, 11.

Monday, September 03, 2007

I am the Tech Support in my family

I have received more than one call to assist my niece
with her computer related problems.

I am not "Geek Squad" smart, but I do know the basics.

1 - I know my brother should have bought a damn MAC
instead of a fucking PC. That's probably the most
important thing.

2 - Helped my niece install iTunes and get her iPod
set up last Christmas.

Late last night I got a call because her laptop
crashed and she was wondering if she lost her music.
Winds up yes, because they had to wipe the drive and
reinstall the factory settings in order to get the
computer up again. All her music was on her iPod,
thankfully, so I told her she could get it back onto
the computer.

HOWEVER, trying to explain how to do that over the
phone was proving exasperating. My brother was taking
her to the mall out by me today, so she dropped off
her computer and iPod so I could be Computer Doc.

I AM the Master. Yes, I am. I did a little research,
and found freeware that reverse loads (iPod to
Computer, instead of the other way around) for
situations just like these. However, in the course of
reloading her music back on to the computer, I made a
gruesome discovery...

MY NIECE HAD THAT FUCKING PARIS HILTON SONG "STARS ARE
BLIND" ON HER IPOD. AS IN, SHE ACTUALLY FUCKING PAID
FOR THAT CRAP.

I felt...DIRTY. I felt foul. Oh, I was deeply shamed.
Next, she's going to tell me she's a fucking
Republican. *shudders*

I quickly shot off an email enquiring if I had to send
her to musical rehab. Lord. WHAT.THE.FUCK.

Paris Hilton. Completely without street cred.

My niece has a lot of "untz-untz" or Eurotrash pop
music. She's in competitive cheerleading, so it makes
sense. It's not the most intelligent of music, but it
does have good beats to do their cheer routines. I dug
out my "NOW (that's what I call Music)" compilation
CDs. No, not the American ones, I got the bona fide UK
discs, people. Oh, so much more pop-esque! Ha ha. I
threw a bunch of songs onto her iTunes. Should be
cheerleading routine worthy.

Still. Paris Hilton.

When she, my brother and my SIL came inside to pick up
the goods, I gave her a look.

"I am deeply shamed."

"Why?"

"You had that stupid blonde...princess!"

And then of course my brother and SIL start
complaining about all the other music to begin with
(and yes, she does have some nasty bump n grind music
on there and she is BARELY 13, for chrissake).

My niece "oh...Paris Hilton song?"

Me: "YES. Anything but Paris Hilton for the love of
God!"

Autumn

It is upon us.

Is it wrong of me that many of my favorite Autumn
things are food and beverage associated?

Beef bourguinon (however the hell it is spelled, I
make a bitchin' one)
soup: potato or beef vegetable
Honeycrisp apples (oh, SO delicious)
apple cider
hot toddies
Drambuie whiskey


Granted, I also like new sweaters. And the smell of
forests. Crisp air.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Men are like Parking Spaces/ Rules of Un-Engagement

"All the good ones are taken.

The rest are handicapped."

Seriously.

Oh well, even if being "taken" weren't the case in the
example I've most recently observed, it would conflict
with my Rule (#1) of never dating a
colleague/co-worker.

I made that mistake once, and once only. There is no
amount of great, even tolerable, kissy-kissy-bang-bang
that is worth the inevitable problems caused once the
break up happens. I don't want to be in the same
fucking AREA CODE, let alone an office or classroom
once it's over.

I don't even know how I made it through that semester
after I got dumped by that jackass
ex-Mormon-wannabe-Pagan (EMWP). Sitting in the same
room was torture. I would drive home on the Edens
absolutely fucking losing my mind, crying hysterically
and screaming myself hoarse after class. (And in case
you're wondering, NO, I don't take break-ups well.)

Rule #2: Avoid dating someone who's got spawn to care
for. Not that this doesn't work out on occasion (my
brother is a working example; my SIL had a son - my
nephew - before she met my brother), but let's be
realistic. Jackass EMWP I broke Rule #1 with had
spawn. One year younger than me, had a kid by 19 and
already divorced. His ex tried to kill him two times.
Damn shame she missed both times, I say. I mean,
really, what else can you say besides, he's fucked up,
she's fucked up and their kid is gonna BE fucked up?
AND USE A GODDAMN FUCKING CONDOM, you fertile myrtles.
Oh, good story of Cuckoo spawn not working? My idiot
cousin knocked a girl up (he could've been charged
with statutory, the IDIOT). She had his spawn.
Eventually the whole thing went bust, but they knocked
boots on occasion. She got pregnant again. Said it was
his. Treats it like his own. Few years later -
surprise! That second one wasn't his! She was fucking
around with another guy. Except she tells me cousin if
he doesn't continue to pay for the Cuckoo, he's not
going to see his own kid. Okay, that girl is a
flat-out gang-banging ho. But you see my point.

Can I just pose a general question? WHY THE HELL DON'T
PEOPLE USE CONDOMS?! Don't give me that "dulls the
sensation" crap either. That's what you have toys and
lube for.

Rule #3: Never call after the end. Never. Lose the
number, delete the emails, burn all remembrances.
Learned that the hard way, too, after the Cheesehead.
Put it to use with the EWMP. Cold Turkey is best.