It's the last few days of my vacation before I head back to classes. At first I was looking forward to my "new beginnings", but now I could use a few more weeks. See..I started out my vacation preparing for the next semester, shopping, and winter cleaning (yes, i prefer winter cleaning, instead of spring cleaning). Regardless, I've finally made it to the phase of true vacation and now it's time to go back...
So, Tim is in "deviltown" working on his masters degree. I am spending most of my time with cinema and libations. Speaking of libations, Tim and I had dinner at the famous Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant here in MB. And apparently, libations to them...only include soda, water, and coffee. Someone should tell Vic Chesnutt.
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"like a little vacation. like a little song that I want to hear. like a big libation. like a flattering sentence whispered in my ear. that's what i want. everytime i try what i'm trying for. why don't we have a little symposium. where everybody takes the floor, yeah. like a scenic vista. like a long awaited chemical buzz." -vic chesnutt
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*and apparently a "libation" is the act of pouring of a drink offering to the earth, like on the ground...funny stuff.
| wait, wait...i lost my train of thought. oh yes, i decided to watch some movies tonight. i watched little miss sunshine. which by the way was fantastic. if you haven't, see it. there was one scene in particular that struck me. it reference proust (as pictured above). I had given up on Swann's Way, but now I'm feeling somewhat inspired to perhaps begin agan. I thought I'd read Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow next...but maybe I'll wait (not to mention, I was lost within the first three pages).
what is on my agenda for tomorrow?
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i'm suppose to check out the high school where I'll be teaching this semester, make copies of my syllabi, etc...but at this point in the evening, I sort of just feel like drinking some beverages, listening to music, and pretending that the semester doesn't start yet..
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Here is the scene from Little Miss Sunshine...
Dwayne: "Sometimes I just wish I could go to sleep until I was 18 and skip all this crap, high school and everything, just skip it."
Frank: "You know Marcel Proust?"
Dwanye: "He's the guy you teach?"
Frank: "Yeah. French writer. Total loser. Never had a real job. Unrequited love affairs. Gay. Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads. But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare. Anyway, he, uh- he gets down to the end of his life and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered- Those were the best years of his life, 'cause they made him who he was. All the years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep until you're 18, ah, think of the suffering you're gonna miss. I mean, high school? High school- Those are your prime suffering years. You don't get better suffering than that."
Dwayne: "You know what? Fuck beauty contests. Life is one fucking beauty contest after another. You know, school, then college, then work? Fuck that. You do what you love and fuck the rest."
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I'll keep you updated, because another thing I'll be doing during my "true" vacation is updating my hardly-ever read narcissistic blog.
| "I was born into the Hebrew persuasion, but when I got older I converted to narcissism." -Woody Allen from Scoop
ah, sigh...(that's a dot dot dot to you)
 So, what do I resolve to do in 2007? Well its complicated. Let me build up to it at least. We had a pleasant new years. I'm not a big fan of the "new year" party/celebration. Ever since I could remember, I always fear that my plans will not be as exciting as I had hoped, thus dashing my hopes for the new year 1 minute into it...so I try to avoid have expectations for any type of celebration. We decided to stay in and watch a movie. Then we walked out to the beach at 11:50pm. I took a bunch of pictures. This is one of the few decent ones. I think I took 20 pictures and Tim's eyes were only open in 2! If its any consolation for his closed eyes and my hair, the wind was blowing all over the place that night. Regardless, the celebration was perfect. As you would imagine, people visiting at the beach like to shoot off fireworks, which I welcomed for this one occasion. Right at midnight, you could see fireworks going off up and down the coast (which was rather beautiful) and you could hear people in various hotel balconies along the coast screaming "happy 2007." it all was very beautiful. while i was walking today, I started thinking about my plans. for those of you who know me well, you know that I'm a constant planner. I always have some type of project going on. Something I'm investigating. For example: recently I've been investigating: buying a condo/house at the beach, obtaining a grant to write a book, and going back to school for a teaching degree. So the moments when most people are mindlessly watching television, I spend these moments trying to plan my next move. It is as if I'm always looking for the next step, how to improve. As if there is some type of chronic dissatisfaction, where I can't just stop and exist. Reminds me of the line from Deconstructing Harry, "So you'd never have to give up sport fucking and chronic dissatisfaction and grow up." I suppose some of this was brought on by the upcoming decision I have to make regarding UGA-Athens for my PhD. I was accepted last year, but deferred my enrollment. I have to either go this August or re-apply later in life. And I thought to myself, "why can't I just exhale and relax? why does there always have to be a "next" step? why can't I be like all those other people?" So...I was walking on the beach, thinking..."okay, okay, okay...so what is your next step? what are you going to do this summer? next year? i need a plan." And that's when I sort of stopped myself...I wondered why do I need a plan? I'm always planning because I want something more...in terms of education, work, money, satisfaction. So, I don't stop, I keep organizing and planning. Researching and filing away. And it was then that I realized...I don't want to plan anymore. Well, actually I don't need to plan anymore. I questioned myself what I could possibly want...and realized ... I have everything I could possibly want right now. I just shuddered again thinking about it. I have: the love of a man that I'm going to share my life with, I have a teaching career where I make enough money to survive, I have free time to enjoy the weather and locale of where I live, I have three (ur, four) pets that I care about, I have old friends who I talk with pretty regularly, I have new friends that I am getting to know, I have my health (and who could ask for anything more....), my family, etc. I think you get the point, but I realized I've been waiting for my life to begin...to be an adult. Planning for my next move when I would exhale and I would say, "I've officially made it." I'm not sure what means you've made it. Is it buying a house? Having a child? Getting a good job?Or can it also be all the things I listed above? Regardless, I'll stop now...but I remember an old friend of mine wrote me a letter about how he realized one day that his life had started. he said he kept waiting for it to happen. then he realized as he drove to work listening to the morning DJs that- well, it had started. And I think it happens like that...you wait, but while you are doing all this waiting and planning and preparing, your life has started without your knowledge. SO...I resolve to stop planning...well, sort of. I can't give up my daily lists. How would I remember to wake up everyday? But I'm going to stop planning these grandiose plans of whats next. I'm going to stop feeling that breath down my neck, telling me that I have to do something else. I think for a while I'm just going to enjoy working part time at the college and taking my daily walks on the beach. I'm going to read books and dig in my garden. After all, there is time for the rest. And right now, I've got it all.
I probably should have been keeping up regularly with my posts...and you'd think I would be considering I've been on vacation- but alas, I haven't.... How can I explain myself? 1) Holiday Shopping is exhausting. Sometimes I can't figure out WHY I participate in this holiday. When I strip it down to what I'm really doing...it is celebrating a consumer holiday. A day where a bunch of money has been spent and a bunch of money is received. Don't get me wrong....I completely love the thoughtful and wonderful presents I received. It just all feels so weird, considering my thoughts on consumerism. Not to mention, doesn't it sometimes feel like you are essentially just buying items for yourself (e.g. I bought one of my brothers a gift card for 20 bucks. He bought me a gift card for 20 bucks. Couldn't we have just skipped the whole exchange and both be 20 bucks richer?) 2) Holiday Travel is exhausting. Yes, I know...the holidays just wouldn't be the holidays without all the annoyances of driving to where your family lives. This put us in a bind- (the cats)- and luckily we found a neighbor who watched over our little ones. We spent 3 days away from home, split up between Charlotte and Wagram. There were all sorts of nitty gritty items to take care of: when would we open our gifts for one another? did we pack all the presents for family and friends? how could we organize to see all our friends (actually a few friends is more like it)? I have suggested Holiday: Destination for next year, but I'm not sure that my family is into it. I suggested everyone comes to Myrtle Beach to celebrate. Its quiet here. Its beautiful. And I wouldn't have to travel one damn bit! Honestly, the highlights of my trip were the few intimate moments that I shared with friends and family members...Like the one moment... ...where Jennie Ann and I sat in the corner of the bar and talked about minimum drug sentencing... ...or when I rode to the mall with my brother John and we discussed the nature of education in public universities... ....or the time I spent with my other brother Taylor at the Park Road house while listening to Neutral Milk Hotel... ...or the conversation I had with my grandmother about aging and the elderly... ...or how my grandmother kept saying veterinarian instead of vegetarian... ...or dancing and laughing with my mom in the kitchen of her house... ...or my stepdad giving me a Cody Wyoming magnet and talking about his trip across country... ...or Tim and I trying to keep everything sweet and light for the entire trip, while staying in that cold, cold Park Road house... I've realized it is these moments (among others) that made this holiday special. Those are the more important times...not the flying wrapping paper and endless "awwwwwww, awesome. thank you, this is really awesome. i love it..." *** So what else? I've been feeling extremely creative lately. I've been thinking of what is next on my agenda of world domination. i still have about 13 days off of school! Now, I can finally "relax" a bit. I'm staying incredibly busy, as I'm trying to get a jump start on the semester and have a majority of the lectures and such already planned out. i'm getting some reading done...reading Zinn's People's History, Seaside Gardening, Hawken's Ecology of Commerce, and a book by Ray Anderson (the CEO of Interface) about sustainability....I think Anderson may be one of my favorite people in the world...."Its the wrong thing to do..." One of our neighbors has been out of town for the holidays...this pains me because, I tend to gauge the weather based on what he is wearing. Since I am home most days and our mailboxes are right outside our front door...I sit at my computer, while looking out at the front yard/ocean. I usually see this neighbor walk to his mailbox around noon...and depending on what he is wearing, I can tell what the weather is going to be like. Over 70 degrees: No Shirt, Khaki Shorts, No Shoes 50-70 degrees: Shirt completely unbuttoned, Khaki Shorts, Flip Flops 30-50 degrees: Shirt unbuttoned halfway down, Khaki Shorts, Flip Flops 0-30 degrees: Shirt buttoned, Khaki Shorts, Flip Flops So, as you can see...the real determinant rests on the buttons of the shirt...and since he has been out of town...I have no idea what the weather is...though we do miss him...but not his evil box of liquor (another story for another time). Speaking of neighbors, we have another one...who apparently was drafted by the White Sox right out of high school...of course, he also told us he was bringing over his cousin Tanya and we haven't seen her yet... So...its almost the new year. I don't know what we are going to do to celebrate (other than hit up the bookstore). I'll probably spend some time crocheting...did I tell you I'm going to learn? Regardless, its almost time for my walk on the beach...I always get so thoughtful during those walks. I wouldn't trade anything for that time... Last week, I read this great book called From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden by Amy Stewart. Here is a tidbit from it....as it reminded me of the type of things I'm experiencing.. "I never thought I'd live in a beach town like Santa Cruz. If you ever wondered whether people who live at the seashore take it for granted after a while, let me tell you: We don't. At least, I never have. To wake up to the sound of harbor seals barking under the municipal wharf, to breathe the fishy salty air every morning- there is nothing better. The Pacific is never the same from one day to the next. Sometimes it is wild and dramatic, even inside the bay where I live. The waves rear up, taller than me, and pound against the sand, sending sea foam flying in every direction. Other days, the sea is flat and calm and almost warm enough for swimming, a study in blues: the flat glass of the ocean, the bright blue of the sky, the faded blue paint of the lifeguard stands. I walked on the beach once with my aunt D'Anna, who was visiting me from Texas. We were talking about our jobs; we each had our own kind of job stress at the time. "But you see," I explained, "I come here at the end of the day. No matter how bad it is, I always know that there is this waiting for me. Sort of makes everything else seem unimportant." Some nights I see a flock of pelicans diving for anchovies, and sometimes a low tide lays sand dollars and beach glass at my feet. I come home with my pockets full of treasures, and they litter the front porch: the seashells, the dried-out seaweed, the beach glass in a jar. There is always sand in the entryway-you can't keep it out. It dusts the front steps and trails inside like breadcrumbs." **And so you are probably wondering: Myrtle Beach celebrity? Who is it? Last night, Tim and I had dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Filet's. When we arrived the hostess says, "Don't you teach Psychology?"...and instantly I was a celebrity, though recognized for the wrong subject. Still...its fun to be recognized as a professor. Or just to be recognized. No pictures please!
one of my exam questions recently was essentially asking which nation comes the closest to being pure capitalism... the possible answers: a) sweden b) people's republic of china c) united states d) cuba of course, if you are reading my blog...you should already know the answer but what was particularly striking to me...a handful (a large handful) of students answered: cuba no wonder fidel didn't come to his birthday party/anniversary celebration
 hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving. holidays are such a busy time of the year, but i spent some time with my family, which was lovely (hear will ferrell's voice in old school when talking about the olive garden). things have been going well. i'm stressed at the end of the semester, with papers, grades, etc....I'm looking forward to my 3 weeks of writing, reading, relaxing...and oh yeah, getting my christmas cd together....its coming, don't you worry. things have also been strange. i suppose i feel some type of shift in my life. its probably a side effect of moving...it is the type of thing that happens. your priorities change. you change. friends and memories that seemed so present start to drift. i remember when i left my apartment in charlotte...i was so sad. i couldn't imagine ever feeling "at home" anywhere else....and now here i am. other stuff: i got a sewing machine. i got my second gift from a student. yesterday i almost told my high school to "bugger off". i'm going to charlotte for the next two weekends (to teach). and oh yeah, i'm seeing the DAN band this weekend, apparently the cover band from old school. shall be funny. i'm sure. i promise i'll be more witty and deep when i have the time.
 i have always thought this is a great picture. i want to make a t-shirt out of it...is from the womens christian temperance movement, to try to convince the men-folk to stop drinking alcohol... yesterday, i had one of my high school students inform me that he was accepted at francis marion and that he plans to major in sociology. and i remembered, this is why i chose this path to begin with. now i'm up to 3 people i've turned into sociologists. do you think i could get the ASA (American Sociological Association) to hire me as a recruiter? i'm so very proud. and what the f? with michael richards? tim and i stayed up (well it was more of a test for me than tim...i've been passing out at 10pm lately) long enough to watch letterman, so we could see this "apology". Apology, my ass. that was not an apology. i finally watched some clips of what happened too. i have been sick on my stomach since i saw the footage. and not in a "oh, doesn't he really know that is inappropriate?"...because its not that...its because i find myself still stunned when someone attacks another person on race...then you read comments people are making about it...trying to say that everyone should be forgiven...are you kidding me? its not like he had some slip of the tongue or said something once, the man went on and on...and lastly, if that is what "comes through" with your rage...you've got serious fucking problems. excuse me but the whole thing pisses me off. perhaps we've moved from the pregnant bump being the cool thing in hollywood to being racist... (breathe deeply)...ha.... okay, i'm out of school for the week, but still behind AS USUAL in school work. i'm heading to charlotte tomorrow for some family time and grub. and i've almost beat tim in scrabble....still a few triple word scores to go and i'll be there. have a happy and safe few days off from your job/school/life.
 i'm so happy its friday. i don't think there is anyone else in the world who is as happy as i am that its friday. so, the oc was actually good last night. its pretty hit and miss since after the second season...and last night, it was good. quirky. and oh yeah, everyone stopped being so depressed about the waif finally disappearing... i find myself identifying more and more with kirsten and sandy's characters. of course, without the financial success or the alcoholism. i thought sandy's issues of asking a guy friend out to do something hilarious. after moving, i have been experiencing this. its nerve-wracking to ask out a new friend. equally hilarious was the strip scrabble game with kirsten and sandy...and you know, just a couple of weeks ago, tim and i bought the game scrabble... the scene with julie cooper going to the hip-hop club and dancing...reminded me of some nights at the steeple...and then, i felt sick to my stomach. so i'm off to enjoy my weekend. i've got lots of rest and work to do...but beyond that i'm going to try to catch a movie or play some mini-golf...and possibly have a couple of drinks for a friend's b-day. the picture is of a russian scrabble game. its not the one that tim and i bought. we aren't that smart...wait, wait, maybe we are?
 yes its true. we've "adopted" a new cat...well sort of. about a month ago, some of our neighbors were evicted. they left behind one cat. so i felt concerned...i left some food out. that was a month ago. now the cat, as we have dubbed gravy (we thought it was suitable given that we have a biscuit, sabine, and igor), has taken to living on our front porch. the other cats have become acquainted, albeit through the window glass, with gravy. yes, i just blogged about a cat. take that. what else? i'm currently reading: swann's way by proust and a book about the cuban revolution. (coincidence with tim's halloween costume?)school has been going well. last week i had lunch with one of my colleagues at the most wonderful italian deli, toffinos. absolutely fantastic. its also a bakery, so i'm itching to stop by and pick up a box of pastries, soprano style, and bring them home. i think i might do that this weekend. yes, i have big plans. other news...i've heard quite a bit of good news from friends. there is a new erie choir recording out...check out www.eriechoir.com for details. i'm awaiting my copy currently...so i'm sure i'll tell you more as soon as that arrives... also, chip from port huron statement has decided to make a break from the "man" and begin his own business venture. from what i understand, its online merchandising for the following artists: eric bachmann, blind boys of alabama, charlie musselwhite, sierra leone's refugee all stars, and the silos. and soon you. check it out at www.portmerch.com You probably all know how i feel about supporting small business, so buy something, anything. a small shout out to a good friend...CONGRATULATIONS. i know that's a bit mysterious, but i'm sworn to secrecy. she'll know what i'm referencing... what else? prison break. oh yeah, i'm happy to see sucre, lincoln, and scofield all back together. now lets hope they can escape without any trouble. but i am a bit concerned that i've been rooting for t-bag. does that make me weird? the oc? well, i'm glad marisa is gone. there i said it. now hate me. and if you haven't made use of www.pandora.com Do yourself a favor. Go.
 yes, halloween. i dressed up. besides feeling the spirit, i also didn't want ANYONE (read: Morty) to think that i'm an old biddy! seriously, i got moved by the halloween party. if you can't tell...tim was castro and i relied on my old tried and true "dead prom queen" outfit. we had a great time. it was a block party, so there were 3 different houses involved. there were many highlights: 1) the pirate house (included the real johnny depp, no kidding) 2) "tool man" tim's stories about home improvement 3) that guy running around with moonshine 4) karoke with live music what else...so i had a few things happen this week that made me realize why i teach...and sometimes why its a hard job. in one of my classes (after lecturing on politics, economics and corporations), one of my students approached me asking where he could find out more about voting. i always try to drive home the point that i want my students to vote...and it just made me so happy that someone actually gave a shit. that maybe i'm reaching some of them and encouraging them to become involved. to make a difference. (let me have my moment...don't judge me). then at the high school class, one of my students came up to me and said, "ms. everhart, you are my coolest teacher. seriously." hahhaha. again, no wonder i think so highly of myself. then tonight at my university class, one of my students said (as i lectured on drugs and alcohol...which makes me often feel like a "hack") "i know this girl, who is pregnant and she smokes marijuana and she said that she smokes it because it'll make her child more imaginative...is that true?" hahahahhahaha. yes. funny stuff. but then...the sad part. one of my students copied and pasted his f'en assignment off of wikipedia. i called him on it, but gave him the opportunity to re-do his assignment. he had a bit of an attitude about it, but actually did the assignment again. there was something fishy about it....in that one line refers to the author of the paper as "we" the women...so i looked it up...and he copied it from a swedish feminist's speech at a convention!!! i'm off to charlotte this weekend. i can't wait to see: koch, eric, allan, mom, taylor, jennie ann, walt, tim l., pruden, dad, ashley, and dayne. other than that...it'll be stressful. oh yeah, i get to see my favorite rowan student, valya. i'm sure there will be more later...
So, the need for an afternoon nap and my disdain for drinking all night long...have led me to the conclusion that it wasn't just my 30th birthday that made me old...but the characteristics of my life. i wake up early. i fall asleep while watching movies. i sunburn easily. i have allergies when the weather changes. my knees crack and pop when i'm walking. don't laugh. its not funny. regardless...i realized though...here is what means i've officially crossed the threshold and can't return... i'm not dressing up for halloween. i have always dressed up as SOMETHING, no matter how insignificant. Last year,i was a sailor. the year before, a cheerleader. this year, i thought about being the morton's salt girl. but i lack the time and energy to actually put together a costume. i'm attending a couple of halloween parties...and i've got no costume. i am pretty sure the other adults won't be wearing costumes either. i did buy pumpkins though. tim and i are going to carve them this weekend, while listening to my halloween mix from my last halloween party...then see nightmare before xmas in 3D (they are showing at the cinemas near our house.) wait, i think saying cinemas makes me even older. but you know what, i like it. something to cheer you up: last week i was lecturing about drugs to my classes. a young lady who works for the police here did her presentation on drugs (imagine that)...and she said, "doing a joint is never okay"....
 so there were a couple of wrongs....cards beat the mets. that was wrong. there was such momentum. it was game 7!! then endy chavez made that unbelievable catch. i got goosebumps watching it in slow motion. then beltran up...you think...this is it, this is it...and next thing you know, beltran doesn't swing...and the game is over. tony larussa and his shiny upper lip are going to the series. this was my second experience of coming to terms with the fact that bad guys often do in fact finish first. what was my first learning of this? right here...jeffrey on project runway? are you fucking kidding me? (yes, i need the foul language...it was necessary). I think all the collections were subpar. jeffrey's was terrible looking. i hate him. he deserves to be destroyed. i think that because of his sucky attitude, he shouldn't have won. so yet again, nice guys don't finish first...its the jackasses who call you fat who have drug problems tha finish first. bugger off, jeffrey.  and i sound like a hostile person today, but i'm not really. i received my student evaluations back...and lets keep in mind that they had only known me for 3 weeks...i got glowing reviews...lots of the following, "ms. everhart is awesome!" i read all 30 comments to tim last night, just to remind myself of why i work for so little money. then today, i had lunch with one of my colleagues at the college. we sat out on the porch at this restaurant which is facing the ocean. beautiful...and its particularly beautiful here this weekend. regardless, we had a good time. its always nice to make connections with other individuals. so get this...her boyfriend use to work at legends (the place where famous impersonators perform)...and her boyfriend played jake from the blues brothers (yes, belushi). apparently he use to tour in europe doing this too. i swear to it. awesome, huh? it just felt perfect for my life experience right now. on my weekend agenda: see mandy, dan, and mia (and of course the bun in the oven); sit on the beach, put my feet in the sand and ocean; read more of swann's way by proust (yes, that's my next book choice); slow cook something; and beat tim's ass in dominoes (you heard me!) i was asked to participate in the AIDS walk here. its tomorrow at 8am. why the hell does all political action take place so early in the morning? i mean, i care...but damn, 8am?
 So...I'm official now. Pictured to the left, you will notice one of my SC plate choices. The other choice says, "smiling faces. beautiful places"...I wonder which one I picked? (Its hypothetical, don't actually guess) I've been unbelievably busy lately. Classes are going well...except yesterday I became overwhelmed and decided to call in sick. I slept the entire day...hmm, apparently I needed it. Last weekend, Tim's parents came for a visit on Sunday. It was lovely. I always enjoy the time we spend with them. Tim's mom, Alice, may be hooking me up with a sewing machine which makes her even more cool. Then yesterday, although sick and tired (literally), I received a long overdue mix cd in the mail from my good friend Charles. I've been anticipating this mix for about 10 months now...so the fact that it arrived made me actually wake up for a few spare moments and try to tear into it...well i tried...but i was weak and so tim helped me (why he was home? again, we are sick and tired!) regardless...from first glance, the cd was awesome. tim has never met charles (or kim or henry or ruby for that matter) and so i pushed the track listing into his hands as a testament to just how cool charles is. i didn't get an opportunity to listen until today...and with the overcast cool weather, it was perfect. i can't wait to go for my walk tomorrow, so i can listen and interpret. I did realize though just what great gifts mixes are...its amazing how someone can put together a combination of just these particular certain songs...and it works. it fits. and often, it mirrors your thoughts. it also serves to remind you. now, charles and i have not always had the opportunity to gab in person as much as we have from a distance...but there is something about history that connects you to certain people. you listen to the mix and realize that there were times in your life that serve as various moments when you were creating the musical motif of your life (not my idea, but kundera). you realize that there are these really really really awesome people out there...and you are glad you kept in touch, because there is just something they "get" about you. not to mention its just awesome to get a mix cd in the mail. wait, tomich....where's my next mix? lets give charles some competition!!! oh yeah, i came up with a new idea tonight. what if i could be completely honest when grading an opinion paper. so i've decided to make rubber stamps, that instead of writing comments or statistics, i could just stamp this huge rubber stamp across the paper. the one i decided to make tonight will simply read in very large letters, "RACIST"...so instead of trying to "teach" my students why what they are saying is not true at all...we could just get to the point. i'm sure next week, i'll be making the following stamps: "SEXIST" and "HOMOPHOBIC"
 so...we use to call the bi-lo near our house...the russian bi-lo...primarily because 2/3rds of their employees were from russia. in particular, there was a bag-boy named pavel...and he isn't there anymore. i haven't seen him in about a month. i don't know where he is. did he return to russia since the season was over? did he find a better job? now when i go to the bi-lo, i feel "distressed" because pavel is not there...and i miss him. oh, tim and i went to a couple of festivals this weekend. the greek festival was fun. crowded. the food was AWESOME. we decided to stop by the irish italian festival on saturday. yes, it was both. irish AND italian. it was fun to walk around, but there wasn't anything too terribly irish or italian about the festival...the food was chain food mostly...and the vendors were solid waste authority, the recreation center, the republicans...but it was still fun. there was a fella there singing frank sinatra. how can you resist that? school has been going well. i picked up an additional class with the university. this means...for a grand total during Fall 2006...i'm teaching 8 classes. not that i'm asking for sympathy or empathy...but i just think all two of you that read this should realize that i'm doing double the regular load for a full time instructor. man, its going to be easy easy living when i get a full time job. what will i do with all that free time? and i almost forgot...tim and i had a cook-out with an old college friend of mine who lives here in the area. I haven't seen Mandy and Dan in about 2-3 years. The last time I saw here was at her baby shower...which obviously (cause that's how it works) she had the baby...who is now a fantastic young lady. Mia is her name. She says "thats" for any word that she doesn't know. This became increasingly more hilarious as the night and the bud lights passed. It was good times. Good times. I missed Mandy. We caught up...and honestly, it was nice to have someone to conversate with who wasn't there because they were paying and i was being paid (and no, i'm not a prostitute...though, i'm sure one could argue that teaching could be eerily close to that...ha!) so...tonight. project runway. by the way...read the latest news on jeffrey. he is a liar. a cheater. and he said some bad things about journalists. regardless, PR is using this to their advantage by not telling us what their investigation found out about Jeffrey until the finale! what i'm happiest about? Malan. I love him. I love his laugh. and I hate his mean mom for not allowing him to realize his full potential. oh yeah, i realized this week...that teaching. though i might sleep well at night...it will never pay my outrageous credit card bills. and for some reason, the credit card companies keep giving me more cards. hopefully, banana republic and victoria secret start selling gas, food, and beer. Currently Listening to: NLDS Game 1: Dodgers and Mets...awww, Betemit...I've missed him. 25 pitch inning in the 2nd? whew. post-season games. fun fun fun.
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