Random thoughts ...

I hate this time of year.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I really do. My birthday is Monday and the weather always sucks. Usually, we can't even drive anywhere within 75 miles to go do anything fun and get outta this snow-encrusted, bleak landscape.

I also hate my birthday being on a holiday. I'm not looking for sympathy - just understanding. Everyone is always saying, "Your birthday is on New Year's? That is SO awesome."

Well, it's not. Every place is crowded, people already have expectations about what we'll do ... and I decided this year we are NOT having a party. Because I'm NOT cleaning up the house so people can bring extra people and spill stuff on the floor and not bring food or drinks or even a birthday card. Not that that's the sole purpose of having a party, but it IS my birthday.



I hate used car lots and salesmen.

We finally decided we need to upgrade the shaggin' wagon. It's a Ford and it's getting close to 100,000 miles, so it's going to self-destruct soon. I can almost hear it ticking in the garage.

Unfortunately, shopping for new cars isn't as happy as shopping for a new... well, anything. We had a very bad experience at a dealership here in town. One minute, I was test-driving a 2007 H0nda CRV, and the next minute, the smarmy finance guy was trying to get us to sign a contract for the car. They never told us how much the monthly payments would be if we financed through them, they never even told us an interest rate.




The salesman was so shady that he actually sent me an email while we were in the finance guy's office congratulating us on buying the car, when we had NEVER (in the three hours we were there) said we were buying the car. And we didn't ever sign a contract. Then there was a second email apologizing for the "misunderstanding" and saying he hoped we didn't think he was pushy. Riiiight.

I finally had to say, "I think there's been a miscommunication. We are NOT buying a car today." They acted like we had wasted their time. Whatever. I didn't say we wouldn't be back - but now I feel so violated that I don't think I will give those jerks my money.


As my mom said, that tactic must work on some people or they wouldn't try to railroad us into buying the car.

Yeah, well I'm not "some people."

We've noticed a disturbing plethora of...

... a new species in our neighborhood. I saw a few of them pop up last year, but nothing like this year's numbers. They seem to be accumulating.

It seems that the holidayyus luminarius has taken up residence in Panor@ma subdivision. Cousin of the common Odocoileus hemionus mule deer, the luminarius also exhibits similar behaviors, such as seasonal movement. However, despite observations, we are unable at this time to determine where the luminarius goes besides grassy front-lawn areas and ultimately garages for most of the year.

Unlike its deer cousins, the luminarius does not camouflage itself with grays and browns in shrubbery. Quite the opposite, the luminarius somehow frightens predators away with its unusual phosphorescence, only detected after nightfall.

The economic importance of this species to humans seems to be nominal, however the luminarius appears to bring joy to young children and the elderly, who enjoy having them occupy their lawns. Research and observation have also indicated that the luminarius seems to multiply in adjacent areas. For example, the house across the street had a luminarius last Christmas, and since then, five other neighbors have created habitat for the glowing animal.

We, of course, are taking precautions to discourage the luminarius from migrating into our habitat. They make Maxwell nervous and we don't need any more poop to scoop in our yard.

The monthly report

Okay, so I made a deal with myself.

I wouldn't post again until I had good news. REALLY good news. No, I'm not pregnant. That would NOT be good news.

I GOT A JOB!!!

I've been working harder than a gnome in a molybdenum mine the last two weeks (what?). But overall this is a good thing, as M@rtha Stew@rt would say.

I'm teaching fifth grade and the opening for the job came up in an unfortunate manner. A friend of mine had the job before. I won't elaborate but you can check out the details here, since it was in the news anyway.

So I came into this classroom and there had been several sub teachers between the first teacher and me. The kids are pretty shell-shocked, although they're the kind of kids who are used to disappointment and abandonment by adults in their lives. For many of them, school is the most stable environment they have and this was a major earthquake in that safe little world.

The last two weeks have been absolutely crazy. I'm very overwhelmed and I realize I will never completely catch up to where I would like to be for the rest of this school year.

But that's okay. Yesterday I didn't have any of the kids ask, "Are you REALLY coming back on Monday?" and that tells me I'm making progress.