And so begins “Six Days of Sweats”

Technically, we had classes today. And by technically I mean – not me. I was supposed to have an evening help session, but students were already talking about how they weren’t going to show up for it. So I cancelled it and posted everything online. That means I didn’t have to go to work today! But it wasn’t a vacation. I have SO much to do around the house to get ready for Thanksgiving.

I went grocery shopping and spent a butt-load of money. I haven’t done a serious shopping trip in two weeks. This trip, I had to stock up on regular food and also Thanksgiving goodies. I thought I got a lot of stuff, but when it came time to prepare my dinner tonight, I didn’t have anything to eat. There was some leftover meat and I thought “Burrito!” But there wasn’t any shredded cheese. Then I looked around and saw some buns. “Open faced sandwiches!” But there was no cheese; sliced, shredded or otherwise. It seemed like everything boiled down to a lack of cheese. So I had to run to the grocery store for a quick cheese run.

I wish I wasn’t so darn forgetful at times! If I had taken about 2 minutes, I probably would have remembered that I didn’t have a lick of cheese at home. It’s really bad at work too. I’ve put up a check list by my door so as I walk out, I can look at the list and make sure that I have everything that I need. It’s saved me MANY trips back up to the office to grab my cell phone, drugs, computer charger.

I like to blame it on being perpetually sleep deprived, but I’m not sure that is the whole reason. I think it’s caffeine. I used to drink a lot of caffeine. But I’ve been on the wagon for about a month now and it’s helped. I slow down and think about things instead of rushing around with my mind racing. But this morning, I had a cup of chai, full strength. It was heavenly but I did forget a ton of things at the grocery store today. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I need to lead a completely caffeine-free life.

Give me strength.

California dreaming

We’re heading to California for four days of relaxation on Friday. I can not wait. But before then, I have a lot to do. I could be attempting to do some of it now, but I have an unwritten rule that Sunday evening is for relaxing and not working. So instead, I am reading a fiction book and drinking some amazing wine. It’s a Pinot Noir night.

We had baked chicken tonight for dinner. It’s one of my specialties. It always turns out great and takes minimum input. Chicken breasts on the bone, 1/4 cup of water, sauce of your choice. Mix together in a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. 45 minutes at 350, or less at higher temperatures.

I had my tenure interview on Wednesday and I think it went OK. My chair said that his part of the interview was all softballs, and I guess mine was the same, but it was still weird. The committee must have read all of my class evaluations (about 800 or so…) and asked me about some of them. One of the questions was really nice (How do yo make organic easy?) the other was harder (students say you are on the computer during class…). But all in all, I’m just glad it is over. I won’t hear anything until mid-December, but I’m still glad I was the first one to go.

Not too much else going on. I should be putting together my aquarium, but I have another excuse now. We are leaving for CA on Friday and I have a hard enough time finding someone to take care of the cats, much less a tank full of fish.

Does my mom know me or what?

Even though my mom has been sick and dealing with her own problems, she still has time to think of me and send me the most amazing presents:

POOPING CANDY DISPENSERS!!

You can’t see on the rabbit, but it says “He walks and poops jelly beans!” Just amazing. I have a veritable flock of chickens now in all different sizes and colors. This is my first rabbit though. Hopefully they’ll breed!

Husband doesn’t understand the fascination with the pooping animals, but they make me laugh. Students and secretaries have started giving me different ones. Last Christmas, I got a pooping snowman from some ex-students. Isn’t that just amazing!

And I thought the Italian Post was bad

One of my favorite things to do when I get home from work is to check the mail.

I have ALWAYS loved to get the mail. I think it stems from growing up when we had a P.O. Box. It was a big production to go into town and get the mail. The trip was never just getting the mail; there was a trip to the grocery store for the ever needed gallon of milk and maybe even to the hardware store for some thing that my stepfather needed his business. If I was lucky, there would be a stop at the new McDonald’s for a soda or ice cream on the way home.

There was always something exciting in the mail too. Perhaps a catalogue to look through or some “Try it for free for 30 days” offer that I would drive my mom mad ordering. And there was always the granddaddy of all giveaways: the Publishers Clearing House Giveaway! I must have spent hours looking through the envelope for all of the stickers to put in just the right places. A trip to the post office might mean a check for $10,000,000! But I haven’t sent in an entry to win big for probably 10 years. I guess after taking my stats class, it never seemed like it was worth it anymore. In college and grad school, a stamp was better spent on a letter home and not an entry to something I had a one in ten million chance of winning.

To this day I get excited to go and get the mail, even though I know that there will only be bills at the beginning of the month and a pile of circulars at the end of the month. Husband doesn’t understand my fascination with the mail. He teases me and races me to the mailbox if we happen to get home at the same time. At least “My Friend Lisa” understands my obsession and will indulge me. When we go walking, she lets me check her mail.

When Husband and I were first dating and he lived out on the left coast and I was on the right, I sent him a card. It was a sweet little card and full of tender and romantic gushiness. But weeks went by without him calling and saying “How sweet!!” It was almost two months later when it finally showed up. The cancelled stamp showed that it had somehow been sent to Dubai before making it to his apartment. And I thought that was an interminable delay! But somehow I think Al Gore will be pretty upset with this one:

Eight years to get a letter from the Vice President? Can’t we have someone look into this?[1]

_________

[1] Yes, I know that the title “Vice President” is for life and even though he isn’t VP now, he still gets to be called that. But personally, I think he has a few more titles that are even more impressive than VP. How about “Nobel Prize Winner” or “Academy Award Winning”? Just my opinion.

grocery shopping

When I’m grocery shopping, I sometimes get paranoid about what is in my basket at checkout. I compulsively look at what other people are buying. I like to imagine what other peoples lives are like based on their grocery store purchases. A guy buying roses and diapers – Dad must have done something wrong!! Woman with a cart full of Lean Cuisine, yogurt and cat litter – single woman, nuff said.

So on a trip to the store today, this is what went through my mind when I was looking at my basket:

Ooh! Limes. Lots of possibilities there.

Limes and coke, this could be a party in the making!

(Ignore all of the stuff in the background.) And cornmeal? Now that’s just weird.