I was working so diligently to get the final knitting projects done for Christmas (that Judeo Christian religious holiday that supplanted Yule) that I haven't thought beyond the 25th. It came as a complete surprise to me that I have to work on the day after.
My SUPER deadlined knitting projects are done and I should probably tackle something around the house. Fiddle dee dee. Maybe another cup of coffee before I decide what to do next.
DONE
Bobbie Jo's scarf
Mandy's scarf
SOMETHING for Cat. She got these.
WORKING
Catch up with the girls.
Doubleknit project of mine.
Socks for Sarah. (only one 2/3s done)
Daydream.
Clean up the yard.
Start and finish a knitting project for ME!
Clean the hell out of the house.
Declutter, putting everything in its place.
Watch movies.
Laundry.
Rearrange the furniture.
Sort my yarn stash.
YET TO START
Go for a walk.
Finish that book.
Buy my Spring semester books.
Nap.
Juggle my credit card bills.
Plan the circular garden at the cottage.
Maybe find a letterbox.
Pull together my teacher portfolio.
Get acquainted with the PRAXIS II tests.
Refine my online personas
Fun things I've added, but probably shouldn't have, but am going to anyway!
Pub Crawl in Buffalo
ISIS puzzle
Painting
Journey to Jupiter
New Bar Prices
New Bar models
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
What Have I Been Up To?
Winter semester of Shepherd is finally done. My last exam was Thursday. Whew. Now I just sit and wait for the final grades to be posted.
I'm hopeful but not confident. So no fretting, because it's not productive.
Speaking of not productive.
I worked Friday and Saturday, so yesterday was my first day of unscheduled bliss.
For six hours straight I played Killer Bunnies and the Journey to Jupiter. Two games in six hours. I won the first one and Captain Nerdulon won the second.
Captain Nerdulon is Rick. We have assigned this name because we feel like such geeks when we argue the finer points of play. Imagine the white tape on our glasses that we push up constantly with one finger while we make awkward snorting sounds and say something like "The Beyea aliens are locked onto your ship. Until it's destroyed you can't launch another ship into space. You should use your long-range transporter to transfer your bunnies and markers to the armor-plated ship that has a die power of ten as soon as it comes into a direct line of sight. Now let's move the planets."
That was yesterday. After Captain Nerdulon left, I sat down to knit some more. I couldn't hold out. I started a new project on Thursday and have been neglecting the older projects that are still on needles.
I work again tonight, so I'm torn between raking the yard, cleaning house, and sitting on my but knitting. Oh, and I have a book I could read.
This four week break is going to go by so quickly.
On the needles...
Bobbie Jo's scarf (need to add fringe)
Mandy's scarf (need to knit about 2/3s more)
Doubleknit project of mine.
Socks for Sarah. (only one 2/3s done)
SOMETHING for Cat. She's been begging me to knit her something and I was eager to start a new project. I think it's really neat, and not my colors at all.
Okay so my list of things to do in four weeks (school starts again four weeks from today).
Finish those five knitting projects.
Start and finish a knitting project for ME!
Clean up the yard.
Go for a walk.
Clean the hell out of the house.
Declutter, putting everything in its place.
Daydream.
Laundry.
Rearrange the furniture.
Finish that book.
Buy my Spring semester books.
Nap.
Catch up with the girls.
Watch movies.
Juggle my credit card bills.
Plan the circular garden at the cottage.
Sort my yarn stash.
Maybe find a letterbox.
Pull together my teacher portfolio.
Get acquainted with the PRAXIS II tests.
Refine my online personas.
I'm hopeful but not confident. So no fretting, because it's not productive.
Speaking of not productive.
I worked Friday and Saturday, so yesterday was my first day of unscheduled bliss.
For six hours straight I played Killer Bunnies and the Journey to Jupiter. Two games in six hours. I won the first one and Captain Nerdulon won the second.
Captain Nerdulon is Rick. We have assigned this name because we feel like such geeks when we argue the finer points of play. Imagine the white tape on our glasses that we push up constantly with one finger while we make awkward snorting sounds and say something like "The Beyea aliens are locked onto your ship. Until it's destroyed you can't launch another ship into space. You should use your long-range transporter to transfer your bunnies and markers to the armor-plated ship that has a die power of ten as soon as it comes into a direct line of sight. Now let's move the planets."
That was yesterday. After Captain Nerdulon left, I sat down to knit some more. I couldn't hold out. I started a new project on Thursday and have been neglecting the older projects that are still on needles.
I work again tonight, so I'm torn between raking the yard, cleaning house, and sitting on my but knitting. Oh, and I have a book I could read.
This four week break is going to go by so quickly.
On the needles...
Bobbie Jo's scarf (need to add fringe)
Mandy's scarf (need to knit about 2/3s more)
Doubleknit project of mine.
Socks for Sarah. (only one 2/3s done)
SOMETHING for Cat. She's been begging me to knit her something and I was eager to start a new project. I think it's really neat, and not my colors at all.
Okay so my list of things to do in four weeks (school starts again four weeks from today).
Finish those five knitting projects.
Start and finish a knitting project for ME!
Clean up the yard.
Go for a walk.
Clean the hell out of the house.
Declutter, putting everything in its place.
Daydream.
Laundry.
Rearrange the furniture.
Finish that book.
Buy my Spring semester books.
Nap.
Catch up with the girls.
Watch movies.
Juggle my credit card bills.
Plan the circular garden at the cottage.
Sort my yarn stash.
Maybe find a letterbox.
Pull together my teacher portfolio.
Get acquainted with the PRAXIS II tests.
Refine my online personas.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The End of Summer
I know, we're already well into Fall, but Samhain is fast approaching and that means "summer's end."
I feel better today than I have in quite a while and I don't know if I'm simply in denial of all that needs to be done or if I'm actually in a good place.
I slept in this morning, much to the dismay of Blue (the cat), and I'm sure to the annoyance of my husband. (Just how many times CAN one push the snooze alarm?)
I did eventually get up, let the dogs (and cat) out, set the coffee maker brewing, showered, and sipped coffee. I got my schoolbooks together and headed out the door about 30 minutes later than usual.
I drove to campus and watched the sky lighten up in the east and daydreamed a little about a future art project.
I really didn't feel pressed for time or effort this morning.
I do believe I'm working in an ignorance as bliss sort of mode right now. I don't KNOW of anything that is due immediately for any of my classes because I've not looked at my syllabus since turning in all the stuff that was due this week.
Ahhhhhhh. (Contented sigh.)
I will take all of my folders to work with me tonight and plot out on the lap top all that is due and when it is due for the rest of the semester and try to get a little ahead here and there.
Just to share with anyone who happens to visit...
Today,
Finances: all the month's bills are in the mail, gas tank's full.
School: whatever was due is turned in. Midterms are over.
Home: it's a little messy, but comfortably so.
Heart: he loves me and I love him.
Friends: wonderfully patient and looking forward to spending time with them
8-Ball Outlook? Good.
I feel better today than I have in quite a while and I don't know if I'm simply in denial of all that needs to be done or if I'm actually in a good place.
I slept in this morning, much to the dismay of Blue (the cat), and I'm sure to the annoyance of my husband. (Just how many times CAN one push the snooze alarm?)
I did eventually get up, let the dogs (and cat) out, set the coffee maker brewing, showered, and sipped coffee. I got my schoolbooks together and headed out the door about 30 minutes later than usual.
I drove to campus and watched the sky lighten up in the east and daydreamed a little about a future art project.
I really didn't feel pressed for time or effort this morning.
I do believe I'm working in an ignorance as bliss sort of mode right now. I don't KNOW of anything that is due immediately for any of my classes because I've not looked at my syllabus since turning in all the stuff that was due this week.
Ahhhhhhh. (Contented sigh.)
I will take all of my folders to work with me tonight and plot out on the lap top all that is due and when it is due for the rest of the semester and try to get a little ahead here and there.
Just to share with anyone who happens to visit...
Today,
Finances: all the month's bills are in the mail, gas tank's full.
School: whatever was due is turned in. Midterms are over.
Home: it's a little messy, but comfortably so.
Heart: he loves me and I love him.
Friends: wonderfully patient and looking forward to spending time with them
8-Ball Outlook? Good.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Read a Banned Book Week !
This list of banned books is from Randomhouse.com
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
LYNNE REID BANKS
Indian in the Cupboard
JUDY BLUME
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Blubber
Deenie
Tiger Eyes
JAMES LINCOLN COLLIER AND CHRISTOPHER COLLIER
Jump Ship to Freedom
War Comes to Willy Freeman
CAROLINE B. COONEY
The Face on the Milk Carton
ROBERT CORMIER
The Chocolate War
Beyond the Chocolate War
Fade
We All Fall Down
ROALD DAHL
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
James and the Giant Peach
LOIS DUNCAN
Killing Mr. Griffin
S. E. HINTON
Taming the Star Runner
Tex
ANNETTE KLAUSE
Blood and Chocolate
LOIS LOWRY
The Giver
The Anastasia Krupnik Series
Anastasia Krupnik
Anastasia Absolutely
Anastasia Again
Anastasia at This Address
Anastasia at Your Service
Anastasia Has the Answers
Anastasia on Her Own
Anastasia’s Chosen Career
Anastasia, Ask Your Analyst
GARY PAULSEN
Harris and Me
Nightjohn
ROBERT NEWTON PECK
A Day No Pigs Would Die
PHILIP PULLMAN
The Golden Compass
The White Mercedes
THOMAS ROCKWELL
How to Eat Fried Worms
LOUIS SACHAR
The Boy Who Lost His Face
ZILPHA KEATLEY SNYDER
The Headless Cupid
THEODORE TAYLOR
The Cay
BOOKS FOR ADULTS
ISABEL ALLENDE
House of the Spirits
MAYA ANGELOU
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
MARGARET ATWOOD
Handmaid's Tale
RAY BRADBURY
Fahrenheit 451
DAN BROWN
Da Vinci Code
PAT CONROY
Water is Wide
BRYCE COURTENAY
Power of One
BRET EASTON ELLIS
American Psycho
RALPH ELLISON
Invisible Man
WILLIAM FAULKNER
As I Lay Dying
ERNEST J. GAINES
A Lesson Before Dying
ROBERT GRAVES
I Claudius
DAVID GUTERSON
Snow Falling on Cedars
JOHN IRVING
A Prayer for Owen Meany
JAMES JOYCE
Ulysses
MALCOLM X
Autobiography of Malcolm X
TONI MORRISON
Bluest Eye
VLADIMIR NABOKOV
Lolita
TIM O'BRIEN
Things They Carried
CHUCK PALAHNIUK
Choke
BORIS PASTERNAK
Doctor Zhivago
MICHAEL POLLAN
Botany of Desire
PHILIP ROTH
Portnoy's Complaint
SALMAN RUSHDIE
Satanic Verses
WILLIAM STYRON
Sophie's Choice
THE FREEDOM WRITERS
Freedom Writers Diary: Movie-Tie-In
KURT VONNEGUT
Slaughterhouse-Five
Monday, August 11, 2008
Killer Bunnies Board
It's just a card game. Really.
The girls turned us on to it.
The goals are :
1) Get a carrot and
2) Have at least one bunny alive at the end of the game.
Once all the booster packs are acquired, you have an 11.5 inch stack of cards a bunch of dice, pawns, stuff, detritus, and other stuff.
Playing the game gets spread all over a table and there's no set spot for draw, discard, dead bunnies, used weapons, money, cabbage, etc.... so. While others are devising a carrying case, (which was pretty cool) I devised a board...
The black box in the middle is modeled after the Minilith (Bunny geeks would understand). It's about a foot tall and holds all of the cards. It's removable from the board center for easy carrying. And can lay on it's side on the board with a lid over the whole board, hat box sized.
The lid for the minilith, (pictured unpainted below), also doubles as a cribbage-style peg board on the inside for keeping track of which player killed the most bunnies. That's not really part of the game, but we're morbid that way.
This area is fashioned after the Carrot Top Casino (Bunny Geeks would also know this joint), and it's where the dice and detritus sit until needed.
There's a spot for everything I could think of . . .the Carrot/Zodiac/Mysterious Place cards are in the chest on the bank side under the starter cards. And the toxic compost pile for used cabbage/water/defense cards is on the other side.
The whole thing is on a lazy susan. I have more painting to do - like scared worshipping bunnies near the minilith, zombie bunnies in the dead bunny spot, etc. - and may hand it off to the girls to paint while I'm in school.
And here it is in play, featuring a great friend of mine.
The girls turned us on to it.
The goals are :
1) Get a carrot and
2) Have at least one bunny alive at the end of the game.
Once all the booster packs are acquired, you have an 11.5 inch stack of cards a bunch of dice, pawns, stuff, detritus, and other stuff.
Playing the game gets spread all over a table and there's no set spot for draw, discard, dead bunnies, used weapons, money, cabbage, etc.... so. While others are devising a carrying case, (which was pretty cool) I devised a board...
The black box in the middle is modeled after the Minilith (Bunny geeks would understand). It's about a foot tall and holds all of the cards. It's removable from the board center for easy carrying. And can lay on it's side on the board with a lid over the whole board, hat box sized.
The lid for the minilith, (pictured unpainted below), also doubles as a cribbage-style peg board on the inside for keeping track of which player killed the most bunnies. That's not really part of the game, but we're morbid that way.
This area is fashioned after the Carrot Top Casino (Bunny Geeks would also know this joint), and it's where the dice and detritus sit until needed.
There's a spot for everything I could think of . . .the Carrot/Zodiac/Mysterious Place cards are in the chest on the bank side under the starter cards. And the toxic compost pile for used cabbage/water/defense cards is on the other side.
The whole thing is on a lazy susan. I have more painting to do - like scared worshipping bunnies near the minilith, zombie bunnies in the dead bunny spot, etc. - and may hand it off to the girls to paint while I'm in school.
And here it is in play, featuring a great friend of mine.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Fan Mail
I just got a great e-mail from Z in New York. He's a borderline online stalker. (Just kidding.)
He stumbled across my blog a while back, internet surfing for some song lyrics and hit upon my page.
He wrote to me to tell me that he found and read and thoroughly enjoyed it. The craziness, the friends, the hobbies, the fun.
(I'm blushing now.)
Here's why I bring it up...(aside from giving a shout out to Z. HEY!)
I've mentioned it before, and perhaps because we're close to my self-reflection time of the year, it is near the front of my mind.
People are watching.
Not in a sick paranoia kind of way, but people see how you act and what you do. People you know and people you don't know. Your words and deeds travel far and take a bastard life beyond your casual conversations.
What kind of life are you creating?
If your words and deeds are biting and vicious - how do they change or taint others who witness them? Will it encourage them to be kind and good or provide justification for their own biting, vicious deeds?
If one - who is already inundated with bad news on the television and in newspapers - sees only ickiness, what encouragement is there for goodness?
I know, I know, my Blog is an intentional public venue.
However, and here's my thought,
your overheard words and observed deeds are also in the public domain.
How are you changing the world?
He stumbled across my blog a while back, internet surfing for some song lyrics and hit upon my page.
He wrote to me to tell me that he found and read and thoroughly enjoyed it. The craziness, the friends, the hobbies, the fun.
(I'm blushing now.)
Here's why I bring it up...(aside from giving a shout out to Z. HEY!)
I've mentioned it before, and perhaps because we're close to my self-reflection time of the year, it is near the front of my mind.
People are watching.
Not in a sick paranoia kind of way, but people see how you act and what you do. People you know and people you don't know. Your words and deeds travel far and take a bastard life beyond your casual conversations.
What kind of life are you creating?
If your words and deeds are biting and vicious - how do they change or taint others who witness them? Will it encourage them to be kind and good or provide justification for their own biting, vicious deeds?
If one - who is already inundated with bad news on the television and in newspapers - sees only ickiness, what encouragement is there for goodness?
I know, I know, my Blog is an intentional public venue.
However, and here's my thought,
your overheard words and observed deeds are also in the public domain.
How are you changing the world?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Yo! Where've I Been?
Summer freedom is coming to an end.
Today, I plan to do a MAJOR declutter. Not only put stuff in their correct rooms, but also in their correct places within the rooms.
In addition to that, I have a ton of projects at various states of completion and only two weeks before school starts again.
In the knitting arena,
I've got a shawl/scarf, socks, puppet, and bag on knitting needles. I hope to finish the socks and scarf next week while spending four glorious days away from the computer and television and work. Weeeeee! If I don't finish them before school, they may never get done. (Fortunately, one isn't due until November.)
I've also started charting Sinister Bunny for a scarf. I'll be thrilled if it turns out.
I've got some trim to finish painting in the living room. (Most of which is a second coat so I can probably live with it not getting finished for a while.)
I've been working on a game board for Killer Bunnies. I finished assembling it yesterday and the first coat of paint is drying right now. I want to finish it before the four glorious days next week - because I hope to play!
What else, what else? I have all of my school books for the Fall and I already know where to start reading for two of the classes. Will I start before I have to? I dunno.
Mike has also finished his novel and I'm only on chapter 2. I absolutely MUST finish that before school.
So . . . what's on your list?
Today, I plan to do a MAJOR declutter. Not only put stuff in their correct rooms, but also in their correct places within the rooms.
In addition to that, I have a ton of projects at various states of completion and only two weeks before school starts again.
In the knitting arena,
I've got a shawl/scarf, socks, puppet, and bag on knitting needles. I hope to finish the socks and scarf next week while spending four glorious days away from the computer and television and work. Weeeeee! If I don't finish them before school, they may never get done. (Fortunately, one isn't due until November.)
I've also started charting Sinister Bunny for a scarf. I'll be thrilled if it turns out.
I've got some trim to finish painting in the living room. (Most of which is a second coat so I can probably live with it not getting finished for a while.)
I've been working on a game board for Killer Bunnies. I finished assembling it yesterday and the first coat of paint is drying right now. I want to finish it before the four glorious days next week - because I hope to play!
What else, what else? I have all of my school books for the Fall and I already know where to start reading for two of the classes. Will I start before I have to? I dunno.
Mike has also finished his novel and I'm only on chapter 2. I absolutely MUST finish that before school.
So . . . what's on your list?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Rock Gap Cottage
We're working on our cottage, one board at a time and have most of the subfloor done!
So far, it's mostly scavanged wood, and right now it's pretty much a dance floor.
Each month we crunch numbers to see if there's anything 'extra' so we can buy lumber or concrete or nails, and right now the answer is 'no.' So camping next week will include less costly, simple manual labor to clear trees and debris and just 'be' out there thinking forward.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Camping this weekend.
Since we'll be camping this weekend....I also had to add this to www.pimpmyouthouse.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Dear Ellen Degeneres . . .
Dear Ms. Degeneres,
(Obligatory, but subtle, gushing here . . . I really enjoy your personality!)
When I'd heard of the same-sex marriage inroads that California is making and that you plan to marry Portia, I wanted to send you a congratulatory note (so, Congratulations!). My husband and I have been married 4 years this May 20. We were married in Massachusetts, having applied for a license on the first day it was allowed, May 17, 2004. Now we live in West Virginia, where I am a full-time college student and a part-time bartender and although our love is very real, our marriage certificate (at least in W.Va.) is worth less than the paper on which it's printed.
When filing taxes and filling out official forms we must still check the 'single' box and we do not enjoy "the total of 1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the United States Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges.” (GAO-04-353R Defense of Marriage Act - Update to Prior Report).
I think that we are living in exciting and changing times, and am hopeful that you and I and others in the same boat will see the days of marriage equality. I am also hopeful that your celebrity status will add visibility and credibility to our plight. (Our plight being that we are unable to automatically enjoy all those marriage rights without the additional expense of lawyers drawing up legal contracts for privileges that even less committed male/female spouses receive, i.e. medical decisions, visitation, inheritance, etc.)
I am even more hopeful that your marriage and relationship is successful, fulfilling, eternal and full of love and the 'sanctity' of marriage.
The 'sanctity' of marriage, - to me - means the dynamics of building a life together. It's a comfortable melding of personalities and wills and coexistence which offsets the outside pressures of bills, car inspections and evening news. If anyone believes that same-sex marriages will destroy the sanctity of marriage, they probably don't know any life-committed same-sex couples.
Mike, my husband, and I are living 'the American dream,' which means a lot of debt, a few acres of land and building a home, (one board at a time), three dogs, a cat, and looking forward to the rest of our lives together. With or without the marriage license, we are happy together and enjoy the 'sanctity' of marriage (well, not so much enjoying the bills and the evening news), and we wish you, Ellen and Portia, an even greater happiness as well.
Congratulations again,
Chuck Walker
(Obligatory, but subtle, gushing here . . . I really enjoy your personality!)
When I'd heard of the same-sex marriage inroads that California is making and that you plan to marry Portia, I wanted to send you a congratulatory note (so, Congratulations!). My husband and I have been married 4 years this May 20. We were married in Massachusetts, having applied for a license on the first day it was allowed, May 17, 2004. Now we live in West Virginia, where I am a full-time college student and a part-time bartender and although our love is very real, our marriage certificate (at least in W.Va.) is worth less than the paper on which it's printed.
When filing taxes and filling out official forms we must still check the 'single' box and we do not enjoy "the total of 1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the United States Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges.” (GAO-04-353R Defense of Marriage Act - Update to Prior Report).
I think that we are living in exciting and changing times, and am hopeful that you and I and others in the same boat will see the days of marriage equality. I am also hopeful that your celebrity status will add visibility and credibility to our plight. (Our plight being that we are unable to automatically enjoy all those marriage rights without the additional expense of lawyers drawing up legal contracts for privileges that even less committed male/female spouses receive, i.e. medical decisions, visitation, inheritance, etc.)
I am even more hopeful that your marriage and relationship is successful, fulfilling, eternal and full of love and the 'sanctity' of marriage.
The 'sanctity' of marriage, - to me - means the dynamics of building a life together. It's a comfortable melding of personalities and wills and coexistence which offsets the outside pressures of bills, car inspections and evening news. If anyone believes that same-sex marriages will destroy the sanctity of marriage, they probably don't know any life-committed same-sex couples.
Mike, my husband, and I are living 'the American dream,' which means a lot of debt, a few acres of land and building a home, (one board at a time), three dogs, a cat, and looking forward to the rest of our lives together. With or without the marriage license, we are happy together and enjoy the 'sanctity' of marriage (well, not so much enjoying the bills and the evening news), and we wish you, Ellen and Portia, an even greater happiness as well.
Congratulations again,
Chuck Walker
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wowsy Wowsy Woo Woo
Wowsy wowsy woo woo.
That's all I have to say.
After looking at our income and outgo. EEEP!
The price of gas, the price of cigarettes, the price of living 'the dream.'
Wow. Fortunately, Mike and I can both walk to work most of the time.
And I'm supposed to be quitting smoking anyway.
Fortunately I work at a bar and can get a free drink once in a while.
We're walking a thin, thin line.
That's all I have to say.
After looking at our income and outgo. EEEP!
The price of gas, the price of cigarettes, the price of living 'the dream.'
Wow. Fortunately, Mike and I can both walk to work most of the time.
And I'm supposed to be quitting smoking anyway.
Fortunately I work at a bar and can get a free drink once in a while.
We're walking a thin, thin line.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
My Report Card
Straight A's ! ! ! !
However, since I can't do ANYTHING straight, um, a lovely row of A's.
I'm absolutely thrilled! Nothing was really written in stone, so I had to sit and fret until the final grades were posted (today).
Now, where are all the rich relatives who send me large bills for each A?
(I'm not afraid to beg. Click on PayPal and send dough to poizniv@gmail.com !)
Hmmmmm? Because this school thing (and that taxes thing) has REALLY taken a toll on our finances. (The pets are getting a little edgy when we flip through the pet recipe book.) And the tip jar at work seems to be broken.
(Remember Save Dora?)
No, we won't eat the pets.
Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance.
Now I'm going to go work in the yard and sunshine. What a great day.
Fiddle dee dee we'll worry about finances tomorrow.
However, since I can't do ANYTHING straight, um, a lovely row of A's.
I'm absolutely thrilled! Nothing was really written in stone, so I had to sit and fret until the final grades were posted (today).
Now, where are all the rich relatives who send me large bills for each A?
(I'm not afraid to beg. Click on PayPal and send dough to poizniv@gmail.com !)
Hmmmmm? Because this school thing (and that taxes thing) has REALLY taken a toll on our finances. (The pets are getting a little edgy when we flip through the pet recipe book.) And the tip jar at work seems to be broken.
(Remember Save Dora?)
No, we won't eat the pets.
Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance.
Now I'm going to go work in the yard and sunshine. What a great day.
Fiddle dee dee we'll worry about finances tomorrow.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Prissmass 08 Quicky
This video is just to give you an idea of the size of the Prissmas fire.
Because of college schedules, we didn't have much time plan an outrageously traditional Prissmas. However, a wonderful time was had by all. And we did hit most of the traditions.
The Prisspops caught a little flack because they weren't technically liquid, and they both looked and tasted like poo. Dark rum and pina colada Jell-o shooters are awful.
It was an early night, getting to bed by 3 a.m.
The spitting liquor, brought by the ladies, was absolutely horrendous.
The new addition of a baby keg, provided by the ever thoughtful Lady Prisspott, was and is fabulous. It should just fit in my lunchbox.
More when there's time. I'm a bit drained today.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Prissmas Baby! Saturday, April 19th!
Prissmas falls on the Saturday, April 19th!
Each year, more and more people are saying "I told you so" on the Saturday closed to 4/20. Do YOU celebrate Prissmas? It's the one holiday where no one is expected to be absolutely perfect and charming, no one has to be polite to "Aunt Smells Funny" or "Uncle Pull-My-Finger" just because it's a holiday.
AND - If someone bursts into tears because the holiday is RURNT, you know you've done well.
"All I wanted was a nice, quiet, Prissmas."
Prissmas is Coming
(To the tune of Christmas is Coming - and can be sung in a round!)
Prissmas is coming
We’ll rub it in your face
Time to bust your chops and
Put you in your place
If you’ve had a lapse in judgement
(A small faux pas will do)
If you’ve made a slight mistake
You know that we’ll tell you
We’ll tell you!
Prissmas is the celebration of the spirit of "I told you so."
Our own grand observance of it will be postponed due to exams and papers - but we will be privately observing at home by burning something and kicking a small neighborhood child off our lawn "I TOLD you to stay off our petunias! and have a Merry Prissmas."
I've taken the liberty of copying all the traditional events and garbs from last year's reminder.
Let's get you started on YOUR Prissmas celebration!
Traditional Garb:
An apron and lei. You can wear other things in addition to the apron and lei, but it's not required.
Decorations:
A dead tree branch, painted pink. Stick it in the ground outside and adorn it with rats and crabs. The original Prissmas tree also had plastic martini glasses and orange ribbon.
Food:
Anything that can be cooked in a bonfire that would at first cause one to think, "Hmmm. No. I'm not eating that." But in actuality, really isn't half bad.
Mountain Pies: Two slices of bread, slathered with anything, enclosed in a pie iron and stuck into the bonfire.
Pre-Packaged Stuff: Bags of chips, cookies, easily shared finger foods in burnable packages.
Beverages:
Liquor. There's no explanation necessary. Liquor is liquor. You know what to do. Besides, it'll help loosen your tongue. "I told you those pants made you look . . . fatter."
Beer.
Other. It doesn't matter which. In fact, don't even bother. If someone needs to drink 'other' beverages, they're probably not at your Prissmas gathering.
Events:
Prissmas Bonfire: It's not Prissmas without a bonfire. And it's not a Prissmas bonfire unless it's secretly doused with gas before some unsuspecting fool lights it (THWOOM!) More than a few eyebrows have been lost in this manner. For many months we've been carting our scrap wood and burnables out to the field at Prisspott Manor and piling high the Prissmas pyre.
The Bonfire Ballet: You set your chairs up around the, as yet unlit, bonfire and chat and gab with your 'friends.' Of course (ala Musical Chairs) there's never enough chairs for everyone, so some have to stand around and chat. THWOOM! You get up from the ground, shield your face from the fire while reaching for your overturned chair to pull it further away from the fire to a more comfortable temperature. (Like, say, Cleveland.) Those without an original chair can take this moment to snag a chair from one of the other people who haven't yet come to. The fire begins to burn down a bit and you start to notice the nip in the air. So you scootch your chair closer. You might take this opportunity to refill your drink - or, if you're drinking from the bottle, to open another. Again - people without a chair can take this refill time to commandeer a seat for themselves. Rinse and repeat.
The Who-Catches-On-Fire-First-Pool (Also known as Flaming Queen): This is probably self-explanatory, given the details of the Prissmas Bonfire. In our circles, we can't actually have the betting pool, because everyone predicts it will be Lady Prisspott. Clearly, she's a crowd favorite, what with the tree incident, and the flaming gas can incident, and, well, these would just take up an entirely different blog entry to explain. Suffice it to say, she's a shoe-in to win every year. (Sometimes, when the spirit of Prissmas hits us, we even try to set her on fire at other times of the year. What fun.Good times.)
Liquor Spitter: Take a swig of cheap, gosh-awful-tasting liquor straight from the bottle. Swagger as close to the bonfire as you (safely?) can. Spit the liquor into the bonfire. The bigger the FWOOSH!--the more right you are when you said 'I told you so.' You'll need others to watch, because after the FWOOSH, you're either getting sick from the icky booze or running around screaming "MY EYES! MY EYES!" like a big sissy.
Walk the Plank: You did it when you were little, why did you ever stop? It's the let's-see-how-this-burns game. Take those little plastic soldier men and afix them to the end of a stick, then put him in the fire! "I'm melllllltingggg!" Empty wine bottle? Most of them melt (some may even explode - or so I'm told by old One Eye). Place it in the perfect spot of glowing embers and argue with the others who try to move it with the stick to the OTHER perfect spot. (The next afternoon, you can collect from the ashes anything that didn't entirely burn up and make jewelry!)
Prissmas Carols: Bore your friends to tears by singing EVERY LAST Prissmas carol in your own Prissmas Carol Book.
The greatest compliment that can ever be bestowed upon a Prissmas event hostess is -- "You've RURNT Prissmas!" And it must be pronounced 'rurnt.' (It means ruined.) If someone says this to you at Prissmastime, it means you've sufficiently shattered any hopes that some faux pas they've performed over the past year has been forgotten. You've crossed the line then. It's progressed from a frivolous outting of light-hearted, friendly jabs to the true meaning of Prissmas, self satisfaction that you were, indeed, right. And now, everyone knows it.
Each year, more and more people are saying "I told you so" on the Saturday closed to 4/20. Do YOU celebrate Prissmas? It's the one holiday where no one is expected to be absolutely perfect and charming, no one has to be polite to "Aunt Smells Funny" or "Uncle Pull-My-Finger" just because it's a holiday.
AND - If someone bursts into tears because the holiday is RURNT, you know you've done well. "All I wanted was a nice, quiet, Prissmas."
Prissmas is Coming
(To the tune of Christmas is Coming - and can be sung in a round!)
Prissmas is coming
We’ll rub it in your face
Time to bust your chops and
Put you in your place
If you’ve had a lapse in judgement
(A small faux pas will do)
If you’ve made a slight mistake
You know that we’ll tell you
We’ll tell you!
Prissmas is the celebration of the spirit of "I told you so."
Our own grand observance of it will be postponed due to exams and papers - but we will be privately observing at home by burning something and kicking a small neighborhood child off our lawn "I TOLD you to stay off our petunias! and have a Merry Prissmas."
I've taken the liberty of copying all the traditional events and garbs from last year's reminder.
Let's get you started on YOUR Prissmas celebration!
Traditional Garb:
An apron and lei. You can wear other things in addition to the apron and lei, but it's not required.
Decorations:
A dead tree branch, painted pink. Stick it in the ground outside and adorn it with rats and crabs. The original Prissmas tree also had plastic martini glasses and orange ribbon.
Food:
Anything that can be cooked in a bonfire that would at first cause one to think, "Hmmm. No. I'm not eating that." But in actuality, really isn't half bad.
Mountain Pies: Two slices of bread, slathered with anything, enclosed in a pie iron and stuck into the bonfire.
Pre-Packaged Stuff: Bags of chips, cookies, easily shared finger foods in burnable packages.
Beverages:
Liquor. There's no explanation necessary. Liquor is liquor. You know what to do. Besides, it'll help loosen your tongue. "I told you those pants made you look . . . fatter."
Beer.
Other. It doesn't matter which. In fact, don't even bother. If someone needs to drink 'other' beverages, they're probably not at your Prissmas gathering.
Events:
Prissmas Bonfire: It's not Prissmas without a bonfire. And it's not a Prissmas bonfire unless it's secretly doused with gas before some unsuspecting fool lights it (THWOOM!) More than a few eyebrows have been lost in this manner. For many months we've been carting our scrap wood and burnables out to the field at Prisspott Manor and piling high the Prissmas pyre.
The Bonfire Ballet: You set your chairs up around the, as yet unlit, bonfire and chat and gab with your 'friends.' Of course (ala Musical Chairs) there's never enough chairs for everyone, so some have to stand around and chat. THWOOM! You get up from the ground, shield your face from the fire while reaching for your overturned chair to pull it further away from the fire to a more comfortable temperature. (Like, say, Cleveland.) Those without an original chair can take this moment to snag a chair from one of the other people who haven't yet come to. The fire begins to burn down a bit and you start to notice the nip in the air. So you scootch your chair closer. You might take this opportunity to refill your drink - or, if you're drinking from the bottle, to open another. Again - people without a chair can take this refill time to commandeer a seat for themselves. Rinse and repeat.
The Who-Catches-On-Fire-First-Pool (Also known as Flaming Queen): This is probably self-explanatory, given the details of the Prissmas Bonfire. In our circles, we can't actually have the betting pool, because everyone predicts it will be Lady Prisspott. Clearly, she's a crowd favorite, what with the tree incident, and the flaming gas can incident, and, well, these would just take up an entirely different blog entry to explain. Suffice it to say, she's a shoe-in to win every year. (Sometimes, when the spirit of Prissmas hits us, we even try to set her on fire at other times of the year. What fun.
Liquor Spitter: Take a swig of cheap, gosh-awful-tasting liquor straight from the bottle. Swagger as close to the bonfire as you (safely?) can. Spit the liquor into the bonfire. The bigger the FWOOSH!--the more right you are when you said 'I told you so.' You'll need others to watch, because after the FWOOSH, you're either getting sick from the icky booze or running around screaming "MY EYES! MY EYES!" like a big sissy.
Walk the Plank: You did it when you were little, why did you ever stop? It's the let's-see-how-this-burns game. Take those little plastic soldier men and afix them to the end of a stick, then put him in the fire! "I'm melllllltingggg!" Empty wine bottle? Most of them melt (some may even explode - or so I'm told by old One Eye). Place it in the perfect spot of glowing embers and argue with the others who try to move it with the stick to the OTHER perfect spot. (The next afternoon, you can collect from the ashes anything that didn't entirely burn up and make jewelry!)
Prissmas Carols: Bore your friends to tears by singing EVERY LAST Prissmas carol in your own Prissmas Carol Book.
The greatest compliment that can ever be bestowed upon a Prissmas event hostess is -- "You've RURNT Prissmas!" And it must be pronounced 'rurnt.' (It means ruined.) If someone says this to you at Prissmastime, it means you've sufficiently shattered any hopes that some faux pas they've performed over the past year has been forgotten. You've crossed the line then. It's progressed from a frivolous outting of light-hearted, friendly jabs to the true meaning of Prissmas, self satisfaction that you were, indeed, right. And now, everyone knows it.
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Tax Man Cometh
Okay, so in February I had all of my W-2s and such and went to H&R Block and sat quietly while the guy punched in all the numbers.
When I quit my job, last July, and went back to college full-time, I also cashed out my retirement and Mike and I bought property.
This property is 'the rest of our life' spot.
The feds took out a hefty portion for taxes, but not the state, so we kept a little savings in anticipation.
What we didn't anticipate was that the feds didn't take out enough taxes, so our tax bill at the end of the number crunching turned out to be $28,000.
I was shocked.
I took my stuff home and told Mike on that Friday. Then I said "We won't talk about this today or tomorrow." We simply couldn't. It was way too disconcerting. How on earth would we come up with that sum?
We talked about it a little on that Sunday, but it was still too soon to wrap our heads around it.
Finally, we had to do something. April 15th wasn't getting any further away. I applied for a new credit card and added it to the two we already had. We paid the state with what we'd been saving, and put the rest on three credit cards.
Yes, we realize that the IRS offers payment plans, however . . .
In addition to the fees, penalties, and nonsense of it all, we'd be indebted to the IRS. If we miss a payment there, they can GET US. They could not only get us, but could also get our stuff, including our 'the rest of our life' spot.
So, we opted for the credit card thing. I know that if we miss a payment (which we hope NOT to do) the % rate jumps considerably and we begin to pay more and more, however, they can't GET US, which is our primary concern.
So now, I'm sitting in anticipation of three huge credit card bills and I don't think my income from tending bar is really going to cut it. Ugh.
I am confident, however, that if we're diligent, we can see this thing through without losing our shirts. (I have proven that one can survive on next to nothing and still have money for beer.) It just means buying the super mystery, mystery meat - and the 'guess what this is made of hotdogs.' I have always been a fan of mac & cheese, so that's a plus. However, we'll have to go down the quality list to the Mac and 'almost cheese.'
Fortunately, I'm cutting down on cigarettes, (with a quitting goal) so I'm losing that added expense, and I have enough yarn to keep me occupied in my knitting hobby.
This Summer, Shepherd College isn't offering any classes that I need for my degree, so I could probably put some more hours into working at the bar, (and around the house) - and I'll save on gas, because I won't have to drive to school.
Pros of the extreme belt-cinching...
More time at home.
We still have our home.
A fabulous weight-loss program.
Added incentive to stop buying cigarettes.
Great stories for the niece and nephews. ("When I was your age . . .")
I can one-up a lot of the "you think you've got it bad" stories at the bar.
Your mission, my friends, is to come up with more 'on the up side' ideas.
I think this is going to be a GREAT year.
When I quit my job, last July, and went back to college full-time, I also cashed out my retirement and Mike and I bought property.
This property is 'the rest of our life' spot.
The feds took out a hefty portion for taxes, but not the state, so we kept a little savings in anticipation.
What we didn't anticipate was that the feds didn't take out enough taxes, so our tax bill at the end of the number crunching turned out to be $28,000.
I was shocked.
I took my stuff home and told Mike on that Friday. Then I said "We won't talk about this today or tomorrow." We simply couldn't. It was way too disconcerting. How on earth would we come up with that sum?
We talked about it a little on that Sunday, but it was still too soon to wrap our heads around it.
Finally, we had to do something. April 15th wasn't getting any further away. I applied for a new credit card and added it to the two we already had. We paid the state with what we'd been saving, and put the rest on three credit cards.
Yes, we realize that the IRS offers payment plans, however . . .
In addition to the fees, penalties, and nonsense of it all, we'd be indebted to the IRS. If we miss a payment there, they can GET US. They could not only get us, but could also get our stuff, including our 'the rest of our life' spot.
So, we opted for the credit card thing. I know that if we miss a payment (which we hope NOT to do) the % rate jumps considerably and we begin to pay more and more, however, they can't GET US, which is our primary concern.
So now, I'm sitting in anticipation of three huge credit card bills and I don't think my income from tending bar is really going to cut it. Ugh.
I am confident, however, that if we're diligent, we can see this thing through without losing our shirts. (I have proven that one can survive on next to nothing and still have money for beer.) It just means buying the super mystery, mystery meat - and the 'guess what this is made of hotdogs.' I have always been a fan of mac & cheese, so that's a plus. However, we'll have to go down the quality list to the Mac and 'almost cheese.'
Fortunately, I'm cutting down on cigarettes, (with a quitting goal) so I'm losing that added expense, and I have enough yarn to keep me occupied in my knitting hobby.
This Summer, Shepherd College isn't offering any classes that I need for my degree, so I could probably put some more hours into working at the bar, (and around the house) - and I'll save on gas, because I won't have to drive to school.
Pros of the extreme belt-cinching...
More time at home.
We still have our home.
A fabulous weight-loss program.
Added incentive to stop buying cigarettes.
Great stories for the niece and nephews. ("When I was your age . . .")
I can one-up a lot of the "you think you've got it bad" stories at the bar.
Your mission, my friends, is to come up with more 'on the up side' ideas.
I think this is going to be a GREAT year.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Spring Break Day 6.
I didn't share with you all that I had a $28,000 dollar tax bill, did I?
I'll blog about that tomorrow. In the mean time, I just want to update you on my to do list, then get back to playing cards with my friends.
Okay, there's way too much stuff left on my list of 25. But I did get the living room painted today, and raked the yard and cut back the bush in the dog run...
I guess tomorrow I'll work on school stuff. I've resisted the urge to add more things to the list. But I've also resisted the urge to work on school stuff.
Groan.
Okay. Tomorrow. I PROMISE. I'll work on school stuff.
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
I'll blog about that tomorrow. In the mean time, I just want to update you on my to do list, then get back to playing cards with my friends.
Okay, there's way too much stuff left on my list of 25. But I did get the living room painted today, and raked the yard and cut back the bush in the dog run...
I guess tomorrow I'll work on school stuff. I've resisted the urge to add more things to the list. But I've also resisted the urge to work on school stuff.
Groan.
Okay. Tomorrow. I PROMISE. I'll work on school stuff.
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Spring Break Day 5
I do have to share with you the story of my developmental notebook.
For the class Social and Psychological Conditions of Learning (5 credits), we have to create a developmental notebook.
In this notebook, we have a section for our notes, five papers biographing major developmental thinkers/theorists, four current articles on technology, exceptionality, assessment and multiculturalism, each with an executive summary, a developmental table covering the five thinkers/theorists, and a master reference list.
All the other students who'd taken this class groan and sympathized when they'd heard I was in the class and working on the notebook. "Wow. Good luck with that. It is a load of work." etc. So I borrowed a notebook from another student who had taken this class before to use as a guideline or model. A chatted up some other former students, "where did you lose points? what did you do for this? that? the other?" etc., and set to work.
When mine was done, I was SO proud.
Mine was so much fuller. Bigger is better, yes?
So I took it to school and bragged about it to people not in my class. "Look at this, see how much bigger it is?" Brag brag brag, boast boast boast.
Then I headed to that class. Waiting in the hallway were all my classmates and sweet baby gherkins! mine was one of the smallest notebooks! I was so dissappointed. Imagine going all your life thinking you had the biggest thingy and then you see someone else's.
Then I started hoping that size really didn't matter. But my balloon had been deflated.
A week passed and the grades came in. The notebooks were worth 60 possible points and the instructor told us "Count yourself lucky if you got anywhere near 60. There were a couple 59s and a few 58s, 57s and a handful of 50s, but there was only one 60. And some of you, well it's just unfortunate."
[inward groan from everyone]
The grades were passed out on 8.5 by 11 sheets of paper, folded in half and stapled closed. When I got mine, I peeked at the grade and put it away and continued to work on the current assignment. Other students were looking at their grades and other student's grades, and decyphering the notes and looking at their notebooks. Until finally J. looked up at me and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Guess who got the 60 ! ! !
Out of the original 25 things to do during Spring Break - (and since it's raining and I can't work in the yard) I'm off to work on numbers 1, 4 and 7. (With a trip to the library and Patterson's Pharmacy.
1. Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
For the class Social and Psychological Conditions of Learning (5 credits), we have to create a developmental notebook.
In this notebook, we have a section for our notes, five papers biographing major developmental thinkers/theorists, four current articles on technology, exceptionality, assessment and multiculturalism, each with an executive summary, a developmental table covering the five thinkers/theorists, and a master reference list.
All the other students who'd taken this class groan and sympathized when they'd heard I was in the class and working on the notebook. "Wow. Good luck with that. It is a load of work." etc. So I borrowed a notebook from another student who had taken this class before to use as a guideline or model. A chatted up some other former students, "where did you lose points? what did you do for this? that? the other?" etc., and set to work.
When mine was done, I was SO proud.
Mine was so much fuller. Bigger is better, yes?
So I took it to school and bragged about it to people not in my class. "Look at this, see how much bigger it is?" Brag brag brag, boast boast boast.
Then I headed to that class. Waiting in the hallway were all my classmates and sweet baby gherkins! mine was one of the smallest notebooks! I was so dissappointed. Imagine going all your life thinking you had the biggest thingy and then you see someone else's.
Then I started hoping that size really didn't matter. But my balloon had been deflated.
A week passed and the grades came in. The notebooks were worth 60 possible points and the instructor told us "Count yourself lucky if you got anywhere near 60. There were a couple 59s and a few 58s, 57s and a handful of 50s, but there was only one 60. And some of you, well it's just unfortunate."
[inward groan from everyone]
The grades were passed out on 8.5 by 11 sheets of paper, folded in half and stapled closed. When I got mine, I peeked at the grade and put it away and continued to work on the current assignment. Other students were looking at their grades and other student's grades, and decyphering the notes and looking at their notebooks. Until finally J. looked up at me and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Guess who got the 60 ! ! !
Out of the original 25 things to do during Spring Break - (and since it's raining and I can't work in the yard) I'm off to work on numbers 1, 4 and 7. (With a trip to the library and Patterson's Pharmacy.
1. Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
Monday, March 17, 2008
Spring Break Day Three
1. Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
18. Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
23. Find a pattern and start knitting socks
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
18. Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
23. Find a pattern and start knitting socks
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The list dwindles.
1. Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
12. Rake out that area and the front area, replace with new clean mulch
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
18. Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
22. Finish that sweater
23. Find a pattern and start knitting socks
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
25. Give a whole day to my husband
2. Paper - Triangulated Reflection
3. Paper - Learning Principles
4. 8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
5. 4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
6. Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
7. 10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
8. Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
10. Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
12. Rake out that area and the front area, replace with new clean mulch
13. Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
14. Rake the back yard
17. Sweep, dust and air out the house
18. Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
19. Paint the living room
20. Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
22. Finish that sweater
23. Find a pattern and start knitting socks
24. Clear the altar - set it for Spring
25. Give a whole day to my husband
Saturday, March 15, 2008
My To Do List
I told you I'm torn over what to do during break....
We received our mid-term grades and I was shocked to discover two Bs. (Okay, I almost cried.) So, that was a kick in my diligence.
Here's my list....
School
Conditions of Learning:
Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
Paper - Triangulated Reflection
Paper - Learning Principles
Bible as Literature:
8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
Shakespeare:
10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
Appalachian Culture:
Finish reading Unquiet Earth
Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
Home
Outside
Cut back and dig up bushes by gate
Rake out that area and the front area, replace with new clean mulch
Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
Rake the back yard
Get rid of big garbage in yard
Inside
Remove plastic from windows
Sweep, dust and air out the house
Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
Paint the living room
Extra
Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
Blog.
Finish that sweater
Find a pattern and start knitting socks
Clear the altar - set it for Spring
Give a whole day to my husband
Okay, that's 10 things for school and 15 things for home.
25 total things and 9 days. Let's GO!
We received our mid-term grades and I was shocked to discover two Bs. (Okay, I almost cried.) So, that was a kick in my diligence.
Here's my list....
School
Conditions of Learning:
Observation Grid (Due that Monday)
Paper - Triangulated Reflection
Paper - Learning Principles
Bible as Literature:
8-10 Page Essay on a specific literary aspect of one or two books of the bible
4-5 Page Report on Acts Chapters 1-15
Study 10 Characteristics of Apocalyptic Writing (Due that Wednesday)
Shakespeare:
10 Page paper on blind obedience and willful disobedience (Outline due that Monday)
Read MacBeth (Due that Monday)
Appalachian Culture:
Finish reading Unquiet Earth
Finish reading and write about We Make the Road by Walking (Due that Wednesday)
Home
Outside
Cut back and dig up bushes by gate
Rake out that area and the front area, replace with new clean mulch
Cut out weed growth / cut back big bush in back yard
Rake the back yard
Get rid of big garbage in yard
Inside
Remove plastic from windows
Sweep, dust and air out the house
Put everything in its place (including take stuff to attic)
Paint the living room
Extra
Collect 'favorite things' for birthday party the 29th.
Blog.
Finish that sweater
Find a pattern and start knitting socks
Clear the altar - set it for Spring
Give a whole day to my husband
Okay, that's 10 things for school and 15 things for home.
25 total things and 9 days. Let's GO!
Spring Break ! Day One.
Okay, it's the first day of my Spring Break and I still don't know what I'm going to do.
Top of my list is to finish that dang sweater I've been working on since Winter Solstice. It would be poetic to finish it by Thursday, which is Vernal Equinox.
I have about 7 or 8 pieces of schoolwork I could be getting to.
Spring cleaning! I want to take all the plastic off the windows and air out the house. It smells like dog, cat and bear in this house.
Rake the yard and get rid of some debris and bushes.
Finish taking down the fence in the back yard.
Paint the living room.
Blog.
Clear off my pagan altar and start fresh (Ostara is for new beginnings and making plans!).
A week seems like a lot, but if I keep adding to my list, I'm going to be sorely disappointed by the time that Monday and school starts up again.
I also need to devote some time to my fantasticly wonderful husband.
Next entry will be things to do.
We'll check back in a week to see how it went.
Top of my list is to finish that dang sweater I've been working on since Winter Solstice. It would be poetic to finish it by Thursday, which is Vernal Equinox.
I have about 7 or 8 pieces of schoolwork I could be getting to.
Spring cleaning! I want to take all the plastic off the windows and air out the house. It smells like dog, cat and bear in this house.
Rake the yard and get rid of some debris and bushes.
Finish taking down the fence in the back yard.
Paint the living room.
Blog.
Clear off my pagan altar and start fresh (Ostara is for new beginnings and making plans!).
A week seems like a lot, but if I keep adding to my list, I'm going to be sorely disappointed by the time that Monday and school starts up again.
I also need to devote some time to my fantasticly wonderful husband.
Next entry will be things to do.
We'll check back in a week to see how it went.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Finish
(A stream of consciousness blog - because I've been away for a bit.)
That's it. One word. Finish.
That's my New Year's Resolution for 2008.
It doesn't mean finish everything, but it does mean getting some things OFF OF MY 'TO DO' LIST !
I've been EXTREMELY busy over the last few months (as you know) with school and learning the ropes as a bartender.
Well, seven A's out of seven classes put me on the Dean's List, but it also put some things in perspective for me.
I never see my friends. The house goes for weeks without a good sweeping, cleaning, ordering, etc. And all of my hobbies get shuffled around from room to room.
I worked diligently at some important things, but this year I'm working on some higher goals. The bigger things need to be finished, while maintaining a good school record.
How do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.
So....this year, I'll work toward my New Year's Resolution one bite at a time.
I really want to finish the downstairs this year.
I want to finish some paperwork. (Mostly taxes.)
I want to finish the PRAXIS stuff and get into the teaching program. (Two test scores successfully received, one to go.)
So, rather than looking at the entire list of stuff that needs to be done, I'll be looking at individual small things that I can fit into an evening or weekend here and there. - For instance, the living room needs to be painted to a sellable color - and toward that end, I cleared bookshelves today that need to be moved away from the wall.
I'll still knit. I want to finish this Cobblestone sweater. Then I have some tweed to do something with, and one skein of some neat blue and green silk blend I got for Christmas. But what do you do with ONE skein?
One major bit is taxes this year. That's going to happen whether I have time for it or not. I have lots to do in that area, but rather than looking at the sheer weight of the task, I'll focus on the individual little bits and pieces that need to be gathered before the big day in April.
So, one bite at a time I will finish things this year. Last year, my resolution was 'simplify.' And I didn't do that very well. Yes, I quit my D.C. commute and now I work 3 blocks from home, but I also tacked 7 college classes onto my list and reduced my income by a HUGE amount. Perhaps I'll carry that resolution over to this year too. I'm on my way with only 4 classes for the Spring semester (however, one is a doozy).
That's it. One word. Finish.
That's my New Year's Resolution for 2008.
It doesn't mean finish everything, but it does mean getting some things OFF OF MY 'TO DO' LIST !
I've been EXTREMELY busy over the last few months (as you know) with school and learning the ropes as a bartender.
Well, seven A's out of seven classes put me on the Dean's List, but it also put some things in perspective for me.
I never see my friends. The house goes for weeks without a good sweeping, cleaning, ordering, etc. And all of my hobbies get shuffled around from room to room.
I worked diligently at some important things, but this year I'm working on some higher goals. The bigger things need to be finished, while maintaining a good school record.
How do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.
So....this year, I'll work toward my New Year's Resolution one bite at a time.
I really want to finish the downstairs this year.
I want to finish some paperwork. (Mostly taxes.)
I want to finish the PRAXIS stuff and get into the teaching program. (Two test scores successfully received, one to go.)
So, rather than looking at the entire list of stuff that needs to be done, I'll be looking at individual small things that I can fit into an evening or weekend here and there. - For instance, the living room needs to be painted to a sellable color - and toward that end, I cleared bookshelves today that need to be moved away from the wall.
I'll still knit. I want to finish this Cobblestone sweater. Then I have some tweed to do something with, and one skein of some neat blue and green silk blend I got for Christmas. But what do you do with ONE skein?
One major bit is taxes this year. That's going to happen whether I have time for it or not. I have lots to do in that area, but rather than looking at the sheer weight of the task, I'll focus on the individual little bits and pieces that need to be gathered before the big day in April.
So, one bite at a time I will finish things this year. Last year, my resolution was 'simplify.' And I didn't do that very well. Yes, I quit my D.C. commute and now I work 3 blocks from home, but I also tacked 7 college classes onto my list and reduced my income by a HUGE amount. Perhaps I'll carry that resolution over to this year too. I'm on my way with only 4 classes for the Spring semester (however, one is a doozy).
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