Kontan.

Stealing a meme from Tense Teacher. Three questions about higher ed and personal goals.

1. Would you ever go (back) to college in your mature adult life?

Absolutely. I completed my MA in ’05 and am contemplating PhD work.

2. If yes, what would you study?

American History, emphasis on the South or the role of women in industrial development

3. If you’ve already been, what were your favorite/least favorite classes and why?

I will have to come back to this one. I hated historiography. Loved Civil War studies and Colonial development.

As the ’08 Spring semester gets started I am finding myself more and more consumed by my work. Lately I am either working, or wishing for rest after an exhausting day. I was in grad school with someone who said teaching was the easiest job they had ever had and indicated it wasn’t even much like work. Now, I don’t know what this guy was doing, but what I do everyday is work. Looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. I will catch up on my blog hopping and see what the rest of the world is up to.

For today I will introduce you to the fam…

From left to right: Alli, Djembe (Jem), Tiki, Me, Lil Bit, Big Bit, Tchaik, Blackie

Alli is our cat. There is no doubt that she is in charge. After all, who is catered to? Alli meows we jump. She is rather demanding when it comes to food. She will indulge our desires to express affection, if she chooses. She misses us when we are away, but I suspect it is only the desire for fresh food that she misses. She loves Jem, and tolerates the rest of us. Quirky as she is we love her. We came to adopt Alli when Big bit was just over a year old. I wanted a pet and we couldn’t have a dog so we rescued Alli. Her kitty mommy didn’t survive and she was being nursed by a surrogate. The last one of the litter she didn’t have many days left in the adoption window of fortune. When we took her home she was a tiny ball of fur with big eyes, and weighed only 12 ounces. She didn’t like to be touched then either. Her favorite spot was Jem’s shoulder. She would climb up his leg and curl up on his shoulder while he did dishes, cooked, or got ready for the day. Affection was on her terms even then. As she grew her climbing habits became painful so we had her front claws removed. I would say she never forgave us, but she wasn’t very affectionate before that either.

Don’t get me wrong, we love the fur ball. We even love her quirkiness. She has her loving moments and her quirkiness is cute. True, she can’t stand to be touched, but I don’t think it is because she doesn’t love us. We think she has overly sensitive skin. Poor thing. She loves to curl up in the sink, sit on the side of the bath, or get in the shower with unsuspecting guests. My aunt was surprised by this fact. Alli has no fear of water. After Lil bit was born and grew big enough to learn not to hurt the kitty she persuaded Alli to drink from a teacup. The ugly orange teacup is now a permanent fixture in the bathroom. Alli demands that it be full with freshwater.

Her favorite sleeping place is no longer the sink. It takes too much effort to get on the counter. She now prefers a shelf in the bathroom closet. It’s hers, we cleared it for her lounging comfort. She’s also rather fond of the back of the couch where she can look out the window. Unfortunately, Tiki likes that spot as well.

As quirky and anti-social as she is, we still love her.

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Relaxing to the sounds of: Colbie Caillat – Oxygen
via FoxyTunes

here’s a pic for your blogging amusement…

Why is it that every night is a battle. Every night we start the routine for bed and end up having to force the little darlings into bed! Between 6:30 and 7:00 we try to have them start the bathing process. By 8:00 they are instructed to get in the bed and read. By 8:45 we are ready to brighten their bottoms. Bedtime is 8:30. Not too much to ask that you be in the bed and ready for lights out by 8:30! Children are such creative procrastinators.

Side note…any thoughts on dances at the 5th/6th grade level? I’m just not overly comfortable with the idea.

I am such a bad bloggie buddy. Family here over the weekend, along with friend of Big Bit, grades due, Lil Bit is sick, Big Bit will be soon, stormy nights, and lack of motivation will be my excuses.

Coming soon…Book review of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, book review of The Plain Truth, and me…blog hopping the time away.

Be by to visit soon. Until then, enjoy the following YouTube Telemarketer prank:

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Relaxing to the sounds of: Spyro Gyra – What Exit?
via FoxyTunes

Entering grades and doing prep for tomorrow. Hoping to get some rest before the storms move in. I’m a little bit of a weather fanatic. I’m fascinated by it. I love watching the radar and looking at the data. Here’s what we have in store tonight:

See they fight like…well, cats and dogs. I think there is still a love there.

You Are a Mac

You are creative, stylish, and super trendy. You demand the best – even if it costs an arm and a leg.

One of these days I will purchase a macbook. I regret not doing it this last time…not that I don’t love my Dell Inspiron 1520. I do. However, I am ready to embrace the Mac. Everyone who has them swears by them.

You Are 16% Politically Radical

You’re a very traditional person and perhaps a little resistant to change. In a few more years, your beliefs will be so old fashioned that they’ll be radical!

After reading the questions I am totally OK with this rating. Yikes.

You’re a Window Shopper!

You know that shopping’s a blast, but you prefer to save your money You hardly ever give into an impulse buy, unless it’s a total steal You’ve always got the most money of your friends – and you never have to borrow And you’ve got a nice wardrobe too … of classic pieces that last years!

I’m so not a shopper.

You Failed 8th Grade Spanish

Sorry, you only got 4/8 correct!

Caramba! Mi Espanol es muy mal.

A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.
Ernest Hemingway

This is Alli. She attempts to hide herself, but doesn’t do a good job. However, you always know exactly how she feels. She makes it abundantly clear that she does not wish to be touched, picked up, chased, or messed with…unless she needs food and then she will tolerate mild displays of affection.

And in other news:

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) – Brace yourself for more wintry weather.

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Saturday, leading the groundhog to forecast six more weeks of winter.

The rodent was pulled from his stump by members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, top-hat- and tuxedo-wearing businessmen who carry out the tradition.

There’s still hope for more than a dusting in Dixie!

Sage commented that he doesn’t blog about work and blogs very little about family. Work is always on my mind. It would be difficult to keep it out of the blog. For todays Friday five I’m going to try.

Five reasons I need to give up and go to bed.
1. I’m tired and can’t think.

2. Family is coming tomorrow and I have been cleaning/straightening/shopping since I left work.

3. I went out for cake and came home two hours later with a new game table and party stuff for our oldest. Jem asked if I was having to wait for the hen to lay the eggs for the cake and if they had to bake it while I waited. I was amused, but no…I just got distracted.

4. There is still work to be done before family gets here tomorrow and there’s no way it is going to happen tonight so tomorrow is all that is left.

5. I can’t think of a fifth reason. Maybe that is reason enough.