mix tape

Hey, it's been a week!  Time for some reflection?

Firstly, I can say that I have had no more hives show up since last week's visit.  Maybe it was booster vax, maybe it was something else entirely.  Whatever, they haven't returned.

Speaking of returning, students started classes last week at the college where I work. Proof of full COVID vaccination or agreement to do weekly testing is required for on-campus classes and events this semester, thus making my job feel even more bouncer-like than before.

Most are easily compliant as they've had plenty of warning. A couple of non-student testers did refer to us as "communists", however.  We're thinking of designing a flag for ourselves.

We had us an ice storm here on Wednesday.  Strange thing for Colorado, and things were quite the mess for the day.  As I slip-slided my way across campus, a guy walked by wearing a pair of spikes over his shoes, and I was all,

"Damn, I have two pairs of those things.  Lotta good they're doing me inside the closet at home".  

Maybe the ice storm was to remind me of things forgotten over the summer?

And so far, the only bug I've caught is the tidying bug.  Ever notice how organizing and rearranging  often prompts the need for more organizing and rearranging?  I became frustrated that all our tools and such seemed to be distributed in about 4 or 5 different places, so we bought a tool chest to complement our little tool box and set to consolidating.  Ah, so much better.

I discovered that we have absolutely no shortage of tape.  Scotch tape, duct tape, electrical tape, plumbers tape, packing tape... Multiple rolls.  All now occupies an entire drawer.  Anyone need some tape?

That's my January so far:  messy weather, slow days at the bouncer station, a tidy house.  woohoo.

so let it be done

I make lists.  Do you?  Actual written lists?  On paper?

I think the act of writing stuff down helps me to remember it better.  Plus, if it's a to-do list, there's the satisfaction that comes from scratching things off.

So, let's look back on stuff I did this week, shall we?

• I took a nap one day.  I was tired.  There was a futon.  I totally owned it.
• Costco run, complete with the industrial sized pack o' toilet paper.  You Costco people know what I'm talking about!
• Let the cat out.  And in.  And out.  And in.  And out.  And...
• Rode my bicycle INSIDE a line of construction cones.  Rebel!
• I was able to get three people to audit our P.E.O. chapter books without me being one of the three.  Woot!
• Made and served up SO many nachos, tacos, burritos, fajitas... Oh, things are a-spicy in lunch lady land.
• Got out my sewing machine and made two big shirts into two shirts that fit.  I'm kind of a big deal that way... with a small top.

Okay, so a few of these things weren't actually on the list, but gotta have some spontaneity in life too!  And as I type this, I see that I also wrote down to defrost the freezer.  Yes, it's written down.  It's not scratched off.  The first step is to acknowledge that you have a problem.

What's on your list?

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Linking up this week with Mama Kat for the prompt:
4. List 8 things you accomplished this week!

regarding

I wrote a letter once.  Well, it was really an e-mail to a website.  It was to Dr. Laura's website.  Remember her? 

I would sometimes tune in to her radio show while scrubbing a toilet or... yes... ironing someone else's wrinkly clothing.  Many I'm sure know the story of how she crashed and burned and subsequently made her exit from commercial radio. 

Anyway, I wrote my letter just before her crash and burn.  Maybe she was already in her downward spiral. 

She used to read an  "e-mail of the day" or "e-mail of the week", something like that.  One of her featured e-mails was written by a woman who was pointing out what a wonderful wife this woman she had encountered was.

Well, that sounded okay, until I heard what the writer based her assessment of the wife on:

"I saw this couple shopping together, and the husband didn't pay any attention to me even though I am way hotter than his wife is.  Obviously, she's a great wife!"

Wait.. what?

Okay, I guess the fact that someone might be arrogant enough to assume that was true and write a letter of such to Dr. Laura isn't so ridiculous.  But what bothered me was that Dr. Laura thought it worthy of her "e-mail of the..." feature.

The next day, when I wasn't scrubbing or pressing, I went to the website and found the featured letter by Hot Woman and sent in something like, "Are you kidding?  That letter was so pretentious I'm not even sure it's real.  Dr. Laura, are you in the midst of a downward spiral and about to crash and burn?", in not so many words. 

I just wanted to get it off my chest and leave it at that.  Not long afterwards I noticed, however, that Hot Woman's letter had been removed.   I wondered if perhaps others had been bothered, maybe slightly offended, and had also put in their two cents.

Something similar just happened closer to home.  Do you remember how I mentioned my friend - we'll call her Heather since that's her name - was taking over as Chaco's English teacher?  She did and was doing a wonderful job with the kids and cleaning up after PMS.  Then we all got an e-mail.

Because of a union rule technicality, Heather was being replaced with teacher #FIVE for the remainder of the year.

I've learned to have pretty low expectations of the public school system.  Still, this seemed even more silly than the usual shenanigans.  I sent Heather an e-mail, not a rant,  just a thanks for all she'd accomplished in 19 days. 

She replied back and told me how she'd shed tears over the situation and had even offered to work for free if she could stay until the end of the year (yeah, that's Heather).  But alas, no.

But... wait!  Heather called me the other day and it seems the district suddenly found a way around their technicality and Heather was allowed to stay. 

I suspect that I wasn't the only one who chimed in.

Have you ever written to an organization / business / media personality / celebrity / etc.?  What was the outcome?  Have you ever not chimed in but wish you had?
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post partum

I was talking with a friend of mine today.  She had some news.

"Oh, MAN, I thought I was gonna DIE!", she shared.  "The pain - I wanted an epidural!  But they wouldn't give me one!"

"Really?", I said, amused at her experience.  "I kind of actually LIKED the pain.  It kept me present with the whole process, y'know?"

"Forgeddabout!  I didn't feel a need to be present.  I just wanted to see my prize at the end.  You actually LIKED the pain?!", she replied.

"Yeah.  I did.  I'm sorry it wasn't the same for you."  I told her.

"I don't know.  I remember you'd told me that it wasn't that bad.  That was part of my decision to go through with this.  But I'm happy with how it all turned out, I don't know if I could do it again, though."  She debated.

"Again?", I asked.  "You're thinking of another one?"

"Oh GAWD, I can't even think about that yet!  I'm so sore.  I hope my husband doesn't mind, but I don't even want him touching me right now!"





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Yep, she got herself that tattoo she'd been pondering for some time.  A while ago she asked me for a referral to the place that did mine.  Have I ever shown it here? 



With such "body modification" - tattoos, piercings, etc. - there seems to be two main camps. Those that love it, and in fact, may even be addicted; and those that think it's just wrong/stupid/don't get it.



I can't speak for everyone with a tattoo, but for me I'd say I wanted mine as a means of self-expression mixed with a bit of rebellion? I did some research, found a good clean shop with an original artist who would design something based on my preferences. I'm happy with how it turned out. I basically wanted something "pretty" and I think I got that, but it's also got a bit of a wild edge to it that I like.

And I'm done.  I had one thing in mind, got it done, the end.


And yes, it does hurt, but it's kind of a "hurts so good" kinda thing.   Really.


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