The Rambler just came by, we are going to meet in a few minutes.
On a good note, dinner, a movie, and some shopping with 'Punky Brewster' (a friend I have yet to blog about) follows the meeting of doom.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Really?
Today at the caf a student in line ahead of me actually consulted with the person he was talking to on his cellphone about what he should put on his sandwich? Mayo or mustard? Lettuce?
Really?
Really?
Melrose Place comes to TBU
So, the Rambler is a faculty member in my department. The Rambler is nice enough, although we never see eye to eye on things. My biggest problem is the Rambler doesn't support me on things yet constantly needs his ego stroked. For example, one of my students threatened another student. The Rambler has had this student in classes before and after I explained all of the drama I was having (counseling sessions with threatened student, discussion with the know-it-all (the threatener was also brilliant about everything all the time, just ask him), meetings with administration to discuss the issue...blah, blah, blah. The Rambler says to me, "I don't know why you have had these run ins with the know-it-all, he's always been great in my classes." WTF? Really? What does a student have to do to fall from grace in your eyes, Rambler? The Rambler implied in that conversation that I was responsible for the know-it-all's bad behavior. There were many other insane things the know-it-all did, such as walk out huffing and puffing during lectures, asking inappropriate (on many levels) questions, etc.
Anyhow, since sometime last semester the Rambler and I have had some disagreements. The Rambler suggested that I don't ask students to be quiet when they are talking during my lecture. Instead, he says, "When they finish what they have to say, they'll stop talking to their neighbors. I couldn't believe he would suggest that I let my students dictate when class begins or ends. So we don't see eye to eye on things. Fine. I don't use him for a model to aspire to, I don't consider him a friend, so no big deal.
A few days ago, the Rambler penned the direction of the department mission statement and was the party responsible for the latest rant . But now he has reached a new low. We (the entire department, plus members of administration) were discussing an issue. The Rambler and I disagreed. He then proceeded to yell at me, really yell, about how I knew nothing about what I was talking about and how I dare I say the things I was saying (my opinions). The specific details are unimportant. His freak out ended with the meeting being adjourned. While the others tried to say the meeting was over, he continued to yell at me over their statements. It was so Melrose Place, I half expected him to throw me into a swimming pool. I joke about it now, but he made me cry, embarrassed me in front of my colleagues and bosses. I meet with the Chair of my department today to discuss this and the Rambler wants to meet with me as well.
Like I needed another reason to join the job search?
Anyhow, since sometime last semester the Rambler and I have had some disagreements. The Rambler suggested that I don't ask students to be quiet when they are talking during my lecture. Instead, he says, "When they finish what they have to say, they'll stop talking to their neighbors. I couldn't believe he would suggest that I let my students dictate when class begins or ends. So we don't see eye to eye on things. Fine. I don't use him for a model to aspire to, I don't consider him a friend, so no big deal.
A few days ago, the Rambler penned the direction of the department mission statement and was the party responsible for the latest rant . But now he has reached a new low. We (the entire department, plus members of administration) were discussing an issue. The Rambler and I disagreed. He then proceeded to yell at me, really yell, about how I knew nothing about what I was talking about and how I dare I say the things I was saying (my opinions). The specific details are unimportant. His freak out ended with the meeting being adjourned. While the others tried to say the meeting was over, he continued to yell at me over their statements. It was so Melrose Place, I half expected him to throw me into a swimming pool. I joke about it now, but he made me cry, embarrassed me in front of my colleagues and bosses. I meet with the Chair of my department today to discuss this and the Rambler wants to meet with me as well.
Like I needed another reason to join the job search?
Inspired by Profgirrrrl's Blog
So Profgirrrrl got an awesome email from a student and as such wrote on awesome response. I (both in my syllabus and in multiple class announcement) have instructed students in my Monday/Wednesday section of Introduction to Insert-My-True-Field-Here that they cannot attend my Tuesday/Thursday section and vice versa. Well, despite the fact that my syllabus also states that you should email me (not call me), I received a phone call that went like this:
Me (picking up the phone): Dr. Awesome
Student: Um, hello?
Me: Hello
Student: Um, I know you said that we weren't supposed to go to another section, but, like, I had to drop a class, then I had to add a class, my advisor said that I couldn't add that class cause its a bad idea for me, so then I was registering for this other class......
[this continued for a few minutes, I believe the student was trying to explain why the rules (i.e., you can only attend your section) should not apply to him/her because of the aforementioned, yet incomprehensibly explained series of circumstances. This monologue eventually ended with..]
Student: ... so can I attend your Thursday section of the class.
What I wished I said: No.
What I actually said: Just this once....
Damn, I hate being a pushover.
Me (picking up the phone): Dr. Awesome
Student: Um, hello?
Me: Hello
Student: Um, I know you said that we weren't supposed to go to another section, but, like, I had to drop a class, then I had to add a class, my advisor said that I couldn't add that class cause its a bad idea for me, so then I was registering for this other class......
[this continued for a few minutes, I believe the student was trying to explain why the rules (i.e., you can only attend your section) should not apply to him/her because of the aforementioned, yet incomprehensibly explained series of circumstances. This monologue eventually ended with..]
Student: ... so can I attend your Thursday section of the class.
What I wished I said: No.
What I actually said: Just this once....
Damn, I hate being a pushover.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Randomness
- I love coming in early enough to read a few blogs before my day actually starts. It's encouraging and I am beginning to feel like I am not reading blogs and instead am catching up with friends. I am not sure if this is sad or if this is my transition into this weird blogging world.
- Advanced students here send emails before school starts introducing themselves to their new professors. Just read one in particular that was almost eloquent and had a poetic quality minus any real cheese or rhetoric. The type of essay that made me take pause--in a good way. Few students make me take pause in a good way. Very Awesome.
- Minnie Mouse is a soon-up-for-tenure member of my larger department. She and I don't usually have time or coordinated schedules to talk, but we spoke earlier this week. Very enlightening. She made me feel (althought she doesn't know) that it would be okay and in my best interest to go out on job market.
- Did you know that 37% of women have been asked if they are pregnant when they are, in fact, not pregnant (Courtesy of Power of 10 game show). Bizarre.
- More later as I actually have to get ready to go to meetings.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
And then there was good news...
Just recieved an invite to review a textbook--and its one I already use. So a little extra money for me (between 100-200) for doing something I have to do anyway--a more careful reading of the book. This is the first time I have got an invite like this so I am enjoying the feeling....
My day so far + Random Thoughts
This morning began with a slew of emails in response to an email I sent out the day before. It's a long story and probably more detail than I want to reveal. Suffice it to say, things here at TBU are just that Tiny and Backwards. The status quo 'We've done it this way for 20 years' isn't a convincing reason to me. Dn't hire new people to 'bring new life to the department' if you don't want that 'new life' to accompany some changes on your part.
The heart of this problems is I am being micro-managed in who I implement a policy that I am in charge of implementing. Further, the policy was designed (and implemented) by the entire department last year and as such, complaints about it now fall on my very deaf ears. And DON'T scold me about implementing the policy as it is designed and as I (as the overseerer) see fit. Also, when you set out a plan that involves me and my students, but fail to tell me about it...don't then blame me for keeping you out of the loop.
I know that this doesn't likely make any sense, but I am so very pissed off.
Finally (really finally, at least about this issue), don't criticize me for being a person who is productive and moves things forward. This is my job, my career, my tenure expectations, my future. Just because all of you with tenure are content to sit on your asses and never challenge yourself (or your students) to be better, to be bigger, to be more doesn't mean that I will sink to your embarrassingly low standards.
I feel like developing a new serenity prayer for those of us in tenure track jobs looking for something more. But I will keep mine secular in nature.
"Please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage (and vitae and luck) to find a job where I don't have to change the things,
and the wisdom (and patience and lack of bitterness) to hold out until I can get another job."
Certainly, it lacks a little elegance (or a lot of elegance), but its a work in progress.
The heart of this problems is I am being micro-managed in who I implement a policy that I am in charge of implementing. Further, the policy was designed (and implemented) by the entire department last year and as such, complaints about it now fall on my very deaf ears. And DON'T scold me about implementing the policy as it is designed and as I (as the overseerer) see fit. Also, when you set out a plan that involves me and my students, but fail to tell me about it...don't then blame me for keeping you out of the loop.
I know that this doesn't likely make any sense, but I am so very pissed off.
Finally (really finally, at least about this issue), don't criticize me for being a person who is productive and moves things forward. This is my job, my career, my tenure expectations, my future. Just because all of you with tenure are content to sit on your asses and never challenge yourself (or your students) to be better, to be bigger, to be more doesn't mean that I will sink to your embarrassingly low standards.
I feel like developing a new serenity prayer for those of us in tenure track jobs looking for something more. But I will keep mine secular in nature.
"Please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage (and vitae and luck) to find a job where I don't have to change the things,
and the wisdom (and patience and lack of bitterness) to hold out until I can get another job."
Certainly, it lacks a little elegance (or a lot of elegance), but its a work in progress.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
PFKA (Person formally known as advisor) is off my Christmas Card list....
So after waiting over a month for some things promised to me by PFKA, PFKA finally gets back to me to say that the project is not worth continuing on. The project represents roughly 2 years of my work in graduate school....and up until this most recent comment PFKA has led me to believe this project is of value. I am so angry. Angry that PFKA made me wait a month after promised, angry that PFKA has washed hands of this project, angry that PFKA didn't give this project the attention earlier to address these problems (half of this data has been presented at conferences, so its frustrating to hear now that it is not a viable project).
I am in desperate need for my vitae to reflect my awesomeness and this is a huge setback. I hope I can get dream job this year and leave my job here at TBU. If not, PFKA will be shouldering some of my angst about being here another year. Either way, PFKA is off the Christmas Card list.
I just really need some encouragement, some support, someone to say that my research is worth doing and worth publishing. My mom (not that she knows anything about my research or publishing) says these sorts of things, but lately I have been avoiding telling her the really bad things that I have been feeling. She worries about me too much, thinks I am depressed. Shes probably right, and telling her my drama or about this recent advisor (former) email will only do one of two things: 1) make her worry or 2) make her give me some 'stiff upper lip/nose to the grindstone' pep talk and I just can't deal with that right now.
I have a 'school-friend' who needs a good code name who is pretty supportive and definitely can relate to advisor drama. I spoke to this friend yesterday and it helped. But I have been avoiding phone calls from other friends (2 non school friends) and sibling for the past few days. I tend to hibernate when stressed. Sometimes things suck so bad that I cant even begin to tell someone about it. To open my mouth about it would mean to lose it completely or get really angry and I almost don't have the energy to feel those feelings. Which leads me to today's quote from one of my favorite all time shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer (don't laugh at me, if you haven't seen it, you cant judge.....)
Buffy: My life happens to, on occasion, suck beyond the telling of it.
It's really part of a much larger comment about how everyone is feeling pain and how people who feel like no one likes them neglect to consider that everyone is feeling badly.....blah blah blah. I should get some message out of that, some sort of "I am not alone" message, but I am content to stay in my crappy mood for now. Well, perhaps not content so much as stubborn. Regardless, I like the quote, I like the phrasing because...right now, in this moment, my life sucks beyond the telling of it. So I am giving myself 20 minutes to come up with some code names for my friends and then school sucks me back in (pun intended).
I am in desperate need for my vitae to reflect my awesomeness and this is a huge setback. I hope I can get dream job this year and leave my job here at TBU. If not, PFKA will be shouldering some of my angst about being here another year. Either way, PFKA is off the Christmas Card list.
I just really need some encouragement, some support, someone to say that my research is worth doing and worth publishing. My mom (not that she knows anything about my research or publishing) says these sorts of things, but lately I have been avoiding telling her the really bad things that I have been feeling. She worries about me too much, thinks I am depressed. Shes probably right, and telling her my drama or about this recent advisor (former) email will only do one of two things: 1) make her worry or 2) make her give me some 'stiff upper lip/nose to the grindstone' pep talk and I just can't deal with that right now.
I have a 'school-friend' who needs a good code name who is pretty supportive and definitely can relate to advisor drama. I spoke to this friend yesterday and it helped. But I have been avoiding phone calls from other friends (2 non school friends) and sibling for the past few days. I tend to hibernate when stressed. Sometimes things suck so bad that I cant even begin to tell someone about it. To open my mouth about it would mean to lose it completely or get really angry and I almost don't have the energy to feel those feelings. Which leads me to today's quote from one of my favorite all time shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer (don't laugh at me, if you haven't seen it, you cant judge.....)
Buffy: My life happens to, on occasion, suck beyond the telling of it.
It's really part of a much larger comment about how everyone is feeling pain and how people who feel like no one likes them neglect to consider that everyone is feeling badly.....blah blah blah. I should get some message out of that, some sort of "I am not alone" message, but I am content to stay in my crappy mood for now. Well, perhaps not content so much as stubborn. Regardless, I like the quote, I like the phrasing because...right now, in this moment, my life sucks beyond the telling of it. So I am giving myself 20 minutes to come up with some code names for my friends and then school sucks me back in (pun intended).
Monday, August 27, 2007
I had a dream
In this dream I was in a public bathroom. The stall was square shaped and had two entry doors. While I was sitting on the toilet, a small child came in through the other door. I covered myself up and was trying to convince the child to leave, but the child wouldn't. I didn't want to scream at the little kid, so I ended up trying to argue logically about why they needed to leave. It was weird. I have the following interpretations:
School starts soon--my students approach me at inappropriate times and rarely pick up on cues I am throwing out.
the funniest thing is that when the kid finally left, I remember thinking--"I will write about this in my blog"--which suggests to me I am taking too much time reading blogs and not enough working.
That said, I have classes to prepare.....
School starts soon--my students approach me at inappropriate times and rarely pick up on cues I am throwing out.
the funniest thing is that when the kid finally left, I remember thinking--"I will write about this in my blog"--which suggests to me I am taking too much time reading blogs and not enough working.
That said, I have classes to prepare.....
Friday, August 24, 2007
Countdown till freakout....
Things I am currently freakin out about:
1. I am going on job market this year. I am unhappy at my job. Now, my biggest stressor besides being on the job market and hoping that this isn't discovered by my current employer is that I still need to re-vamp my materials. Even beginning the task of editing them freaks me out.
2. The person formerly known as my Advisor (PFKA) is working towards being 3 weeks late in something that I need to work on a manuscript.
I guess there is more, but those are so freak-out worthy that they are consuming my thoughts.
1. I am going on job market this year. I am unhappy at my job. Now, my biggest stressor besides being on the job market and hoping that this isn't discovered by my current employer is that I still need to re-vamp my materials. Even beginning the task of editing them freaks me out.
2. The person formerly known as my Advisor (PFKA) is working towards being 3 weeks late in something that I need to work on a manuscript.
I guess there is more, but those are so freak-out worthy that they are consuming my thoughts.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Nobody likes me,. everybody hates me, guess Ill go eat worms
I have (and will continue) to be very vague and secret decoder ring-y in my blog. I have said so far that I live in Nowheresville, Northeast, United States and I am a pre-tenure professor. My reason for the secret decoder ring is that I am not happy here at Tiny Backwards University (TBU) and it is probably best that no one knows exactly where and who I am. I will say for now that I am definitely not an engineering professor. In my forthcoming rant, I will use engineering as code and will become obvious to all (especially those in engineering) that I am not an engineer and just using it as code.
I just received a memo with all the gumption of a mission statement ala Jerry Maguire. It said in short:
"Our school focuses on 'mechanical and electrical engineers.' Never have any of our students went on to do graduate work in 'civil engineering'. 'Civil engineering' is a small area of 'engineering' and as such we are right to focus most of our students on 'mechanical and electrical engineering'. Our students could never make it as 'civil engineers'. "
Now replace civil engineering with what I do and mechanical and electrical engineering with other areas of my field (which I admit make up a larger percentage of people in my field).
My question is: Manifesto writer (and head of the search committee when I was hired) why did you hire me? Why did you hire a 'civil engineer' if the direction this department is taking is to focus solely (with rare exception) on 'mechanical and electrical engineers.' If my area is so meaningless (to the students here and the direction this department is going), why did you hire me? Why did you tell me how diverse the faculty are here if most of them are really focused on 'mechanical and electrical engineering.' Why not hire another 'mechanical or electrical engineers' and have them teach 'civil engineering' on the side. Why did you tell me how excited you were to be hiring a civil engineer and how much you thought my research could involve the students into civil engineering?
I have never felt more under appreciated or undervalued and there is no doubt in my mind that this will not be the job I stay at.
I just received a memo with all the gumption of a mission statement ala Jerry Maguire. It said in short:
"Our school focuses on 'mechanical and electrical engineers.' Never have any of our students went on to do graduate work in 'civil engineering'. 'Civil engineering' is a small area of 'engineering' and as such we are right to focus most of our students on 'mechanical and electrical engineering'. Our students could never make it as 'civil engineers'. "
Now replace civil engineering with what I do and mechanical and electrical engineering with other areas of my field (which I admit make up a larger percentage of people in my field).
My question is: Manifesto writer (and head of the search committee when I was hired) why did you hire me? Why did you hire a 'civil engineer' if the direction this department is taking is to focus solely (with rare exception) on 'mechanical and electrical engineers.' If my area is so meaningless (to the students here and the direction this department is going), why did you hire me? Why did you tell me how diverse the faculty are here if most of them are really focused on 'mechanical and electrical engineering.' Why not hire another 'mechanical or electrical engineers' and have them teach 'civil engineering' on the side. Why did you tell me how excited you were to be hiring a civil engineer and how much you thought my research could involve the students into civil engineering?
I have never felt more under appreciated or undervalued and there is no doubt in my mind that this will not be the job I stay at.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Why did I start this blog
Saw the movie Shall we dance? this weekend. Here is a quote from the movie:
Beverly Clark: We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'."
I think being single now, having moved away from all my friends and family, living in a small small town with little social prospects has me much lonlier than I thought I would be. Days go by where I talk to no one, where no one witnessess my life, and I am--unnoticed. So I started this blog to have a place to say the things...the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things (see vending machine post, which I would also classify as a good thing) in a place where they just might not go unnoticed.
Beverly Clark: We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'."
I think being single now, having moved away from all my friends and family, living in a small small town with little social prospects has me much lonlier than I thought I would be. Days go by where I talk to no one, where no one witnessess my life, and I am--unnoticed. So I started this blog to have a place to say the things...the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things (see vending machine post, which I would also classify as a good thing) in a place where they just might not go unnoticed.
Where have I been
To catch up soon....
In short, my high school reunion took me back home. I will share stories later.
I am currently catching up on emails, blogs, and having more meetings in a day than most people do all week.
In one of my favorite blogs, http://www.profgrrrrl.com/, she says that lately "Everything feels like it both is and is not an emergency." Took the words right out of my mouth. Literally describes the massive anxiety I have had the past few weeks. Its weird to be anxious about things and simulatneously not care that they aren't done.
More to come
In short, my high school reunion took me back home. I will share stories later.
I am currently catching up on emails, blogs, and having more meetings in a day than most people do all week.
In one of my favorite blogs, http://www.profgrrrrl.com/, she says that lately "Everything feels like it both is and is not an emergency." Took the words right out of my mouth. Literally describes the massive anxiety I have had the past few weeks. Its weird to be anxious about things and simulatneously not care that they aren't done.
More to come
Monday, August 13, 2007
The vending machine in my building is smarter than me
So, in the ol days when the vending machine took your money you had to gamble that your tasty new snack would not get stuck in the machinery. This, of course, led to people shaking the machines inorder to get the candy to 'fall'. Those people often died because the machine toppled over on them.
The machine in my building is smarter than me for two reasons:
1. There is some laser-eye on the bottom of the machine such that if the first turn of the coils doesnt produce a drop of candy goodness, the coils will continue to rotate until something falls. Brilliant! (and should cause many less deaths)
2. Becuase of the laser, if you enter a snack number that is empty (on accident you hit b11 instead of b12), the machine will recognize that no snack fell (nifty laser) and after a few attemps at turning the coils, it will ask you to enter a new candy choice--Amazing.
So, heres my quote of the day:
“I like vending machines, because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that is achieves its maximum flavor potential.”
-Mitch Hedberg
The machine in my building is smarter than me for two reasons:
1. There is some laser-eye on the bottom of the machine such that if the first turn of the coils doesnt produce a drop of candy goodness, the coils will continue to rotate until something falls. Brilliant! (and should cause many less deaths)
2. Becuase of the laser, if you enter a snack number that is empty (on accident you hit b11 instead of b12), the machine will recognize that no snack fell (nifty laser) and after a few attemps at turning the coils, it will ask you to enter a new candy choice--Amazing.
So, heres my quote of the day:
“I like vending machines, because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that is achieves its maximum flavor potential.”
-Mitch Hedberg
Several Things
I haven’t done any work since the last post. Been reading someone's blog and laughing my ass off. I am new to blogging and blogging etiquette, so I don’t know what is appropriate to do….
I will soon have a “Blogs I read” section of this blog, but until then I will say the blog making me laugh today was Fumbling-towards-geekdom. One of my favorite things about this blog is the naming of tags. For instance, the tag, things that make me want to bite someone. I hope to have tags as clever as this one day.
In the spirit of things that make me want to bite someone, I just had a parent and some students stop by my office. Now school doesn’t start for weeks, orientation meetings don’t even start this week or next. Why are students here? Without air conditioning, I am here in tank top and shorts, no makeup, hair in a messy ponytail, trying to motivate myself to work---stay out of my office new students—this is my time.
I will soon have a “Blogs I read” section of this blog, but until then I will say the blog making me laugh today was Fumbling-towards-geekdom. One of my favorite things about this blog is the naming of tags. For instance, the tag, things that make me want to bite someone. I hope to have tags as clever as this one day.
In the spirit of things that make me want to bite someone, I just had a parent and some students stop by my office. Now school doesn’t start for weeks, orientation meetings don’t even start this week or next. Why are students here? Without air conditioning, I am here in tank top and shorts, no makeup, hair in a messy ponytail, trying to motivate myself to work---stay out of my office new students—this is my time.
How I spent my weekend....
Well, I didnt do a bit of work (and I really should have).
I knit--that will be a large part of this blog. What I am knitting and how it is going. I have been really inspired by the knitting blogs out there. Also, I am so far from other knitters that I cannot have a knit group in my sad little town. Right now I am obsessed with this book, 200 Knitted Blocks: Traditional And Contemporary Designs To Mix And Match. I am currently knitting three projects that come from this book.
1). A scarf for me, white, thick, knit in a pattern called Snowflake Lace. It's my first attempt at a lace pattern, but I love this one. The pattern looks like peppermints. Pictures soon I hope.
2). A blanket for a charity I love. I picked a pattern I like from the book, but instead of knitting a square, I am knitting it into a afghan.
3). How the book is designed to be used, I decided on a plan to knit a blanket, so I knit the first sqaure. Finishing (neatly and pretty) is not my best skill, but since the blanket will need lots of squares, I have time to practice.
So, I knit alot this weekend.
I also bought new towels and shower curtain for my bathroom. This doesnt seem like a big deal, but there are no options here in smalltownsville, so I had to drive a good bit to do the shopping.
Now, its 10:15ish and I must must must get some productive work done.
I only have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week because I leave here to go home on Thursday.
I knit--that will be a large part of this blog. What I am knitting and how it is going. I have been really inspired by the knitting blogs out there. Also, I am so far from other knitters that I cannot have a knit group in my sad little town. Right now I am obsessed with this book, 200 Knitted Blocks: Traditional And Contemporary Designs To Mix And Match. I am currently knitting three projects that come from this book.
1). A scarf for me, white, thick, knit in a pattern called Snowflake Lace. It's my first attempt at a lace pattern, but I love this one. The pattern looks like peppermints. Pictures soon I hope.
2). A blanket for a charity I love. I picked a pattern I like from the book, but instead of knitting a square, I am knitting it into a afghan.
3). How the book is designed to be used, I decided on a plan to knit a blanket, so I knit the first sqaure. Finishing (neatly and pretty) is not my best skill, but since the blanket will need lots of squares, I have time to practice.
So, I knit alot this weekend.
I also bought new towels and shower curtain for my bathroom. This doesnt seem like a big deal, but there are no options here in smalltownsville, so I had to drive a good bit to do the shopping.
Now, its 10:15ish and I must must must get some productive work done.
I only have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week because I leave here to go home on Thursday.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
The song I can't stop singing
'I do' by JUDE
I got a letter today
An invitation
And the writing looked like you
Hello how are you and by the way
Please RSVP I do
I thought of writing sad words of how it used to be
But I didn't want to bring you down,
noI guess the bells will ring pretty well there without me
Don't worry 'bout me baby
I'll wear the thorny crown
I will play the clown
If you think that I don't love you, you're just wrong
And that don't matter now anyway
I couldn't bear to see you up there with a white dress on
Here's my vow to you
I'll stay away
I remember when in a lover's whisper you said
No other man would ever share your bed
Well we both know that's not been so
And I wish I'd never let you go now
You found a better man instead
I wish you health and wealth and a white house on a hill and
I hope you raise a family
Little boy and a little girl, a little more joy in this little old world
Well, that'd be enough for me
Time rolls on
And dreams they die
And I've thrown out the pictures I had of you and I
And if you're ever wondering if love can be true
Well, think of me and remember darling like I, like I do
Old friendships fade away, love falls apart
And you've not spent a single day outside my heart
But, there's just one more dream that I have left for you
I hope you're smiling when he turns around and says I do. . .I doI doI doI do
Like Jude wrote the song for me, it says all the things I want to say....
I got a letter today
An invitation
And the writing looked like you
Hello how are you and by the way
Please RSVP I do
I thought of writing sad words of how it used to be
But I didn't want to bring you down,
noI guess the bells will ring pretty well there without me
Don't worry 'bout me baby
I'll wear the thorny crown
I will play the clown
If you think that I don't love you, you're just wrong
And that don't matter now anyway
I couldn't bear to see you up there with a white dress on
Here's my vow to you
I'll stay away
I remember when in a lover's whisper you said
No other man would ever share your bed
Well we both know that's not been so
And I wish I'd never let you go now
You found a better man instead
I wish you health and wealth and a white house on a hill and
I hope you raise a family
Little boy and a little girl, a little more joy in this little old world
Well, that'd be enough for me
Time rolls on
And dreams they die
And I've thrown out the pictures I had of you and I
And if you're ever wondering if love can be true
Well, think of me and remember darling like I, like I do
Old friendships fade away, love falls apart
And you've not spent a single day outside my heart
But, there's just one more dream that I have left for you
I hope you're smiling when he turns around and says I do. . .I doI doI doI do
Like Jude wrote the song for me, it says all the things I want to say....
So you know a little bit more about me...
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Well, I was not named after anyone. My blog was named after a episode of one of my favorite tv shows.
2. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No, and the more time I spend at a computer, the less I like my handwriting. I almost never write things down, damn computer age.
3. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? nope
4. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Most of the time.
5. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I hope to, someday.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? To be perfectly honest, Count Chocula. I dont even think they sell it anymore. Shame.
7. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I would like to say their character, how they treat those around them, but thats ridiculous. The first thing I notice...eyes, smile, and I like hands.
7. RED OR PINK? Never pink
8. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Ooooh, that's an interesting question and one that deserves more thought, not a quick answer.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot? A friend of mine answered this with "sometimes with students." I do, all the time.
10. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? a shade of blue. The exact shade would depend on my mood. Right now, a deep 'cornflower' blue (thats an old crayola reference).
That's all for now.
Now, I return to what I should be doing....organizing my office and getting ready for the fall semester to start.
Well, I was not named after anyone. My blog was named after a episode of one of my favorite tv shows.
2. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No, and the more time I spend at a computer, the less I like my handwriting. I almost never write things down, damn computer age.
3. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? nope
4. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Most of the time.
5. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I hope to, someday.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? To be perfectly honest, Count Chocula. I dont even think they sell it anymore. Shame.
7. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I would like to say their character, how they treat those around them, but thats ridiculous. The first thing I notice...eyes, smile, and I like hands.
7. RED OR PINK? Never pink
8. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Ooooh, that's an interesting question and one that deserves more thought, not a quick answer.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot? A friend of mine answered this with "sometimes with students." I do, all the time.
10. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? a shade of blue. The exact shade would depend on my mood. Right now, a deep 'cornflower' blue (thats an old crayola reference).
That's all for now.
Now, I return to what I should be doing....organizing my office and getting ready for the fall semester to start.
Is this weird?
I got some mail today. The only thing in my mailbox was a solication from my neighbor across the street to donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Now, I like donating to charity and I think that this charity is a particluarly good place to donate money. My sister, from here on out, Kid Sister (KS), had run a marathon to raise money for this charity. The weird part is to get the solicitation from my neighbor across the street. See, I have never spoken to this neighbor. We have (in the year that I have lived here) have only exchanged the occasional wave when we were both in our driveways at the same time. So my neighbor, who I have never spoken to, who I have never told my last or even first name, mailed me a request to donate to this charity (mailed, not even walked over to my door). Just feels pretty weird. Also, I have seen him walking his cat on a leash in the front yard of his house. Weird.
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