Because it's Friday, my day off...

Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Remus Lupin You're a calm, cool, optimistic person who doesn't dwell on the bad but looks more deeply into the good. You're wise and know much about the world, and though you teach your lessons to others, react humbly when complimented on your intelligence. You've suffered a lot in your life but are extremely accepting of it all and suffer inwardly. You're a great friend to have as you're gentle and caring. Remus Lupin 75% Severus Snape 75% Percy Weasley 69% Albus Dumbledore 69% Neville Longbottom 66% Hermione Granger 66% Draco Malfoy 59% Ron Weasley 56% Oliver Wood 50% Luna Lovegood 50% Bellatrix Lestrange 41% Harry Potter 38% Lord Voldemort 34% Sirius Black 34% Also, happy birthday to Müs! It's even on a Friday this year, how excellent. Also, I did not get the job. Mediocre grade and hopes dashed in the span of one week, hooray. (so much for the 'optimistic person' the quiz describes!)

Update on the general status of things

Dad is fine, thank goodness. Apparently he has developed an infection (!), but should be out of the hospital soon. Hopefully tomorrow.

Things are generally better. I still feel really stupid a majority of the time, but I put in a lot of hours this weekend on...well, pretty much everything. So there's that. I get my essay back tomorrow, though, so will probably be in tears again.

Also, went to a formal hall at Christ's College with two of my classmates tonight. (Sidenote: Every time I hear the name of this college, it's like an expletive: Christ's! College. There is also Jesus! Green and Jesus! Lane.) This was fantastic for a number of reasons:

1. Going out to eat for relatively cheap (6 pounds...that's right, $12 is now relatively cheap for me. Good lord.) and not having to cook or do dishes.
2. Getting an insider tour of Christ's! College. The dining hall is straight out of Harry Potter, with dark wood paneling, stained glass windows, portraits, and long tables of people wearing gowns. (Though gowns were optional. It did provide a way to tell the graduates from the undergrads, though: all the undergrads were in gowns.)
3. Chatting with my classmates and finding out they're just as lost as I am!! Oh, thank God. I feel considerably better about my status in the class; if I'm at the bottom, there are at least two people almost down there with me.
4. Walking back through the city on a clear, moonlight night made me remember that I am lucky to be here. Not everyone gets to do this. I keep forgetting about that and have to kick myself once in a while.

Two more things: Hi, Hans Martin! Also, can I just say Christ's! College one more time? Awesome, thanks.

Much ado about nothing

So I've been harassed by the only two semi-regular readers of this blog that I should update. Good thing I succumb easily to peer pressure! I suppose I should catch you all (?) up on recent events, but to be honest, there haven't been a whole lot of those. Suffice it to say that I love being on vacation. Sleeping till 9, watching movies and reading all day, cooking decent food because I can... being a teacher has its perks.

Let's get to the point.
Recent Event #1: Chaperoning a high school trip to Europe
This was actually ganz okay, to use the proper German. Not quite as fun as traveling with friends and having an open schedule, but it was paid for and I got to know some interesting kids. The first two weeks were pretty awful, weather-wise; it was cold (in the 60s) and rained EVERY SINGLE DAY. Which is typical German weather, but not at the beginning of July. The last week of the trip was sunny and really warm, so it made up for the miserableness of the preceding weeks. There were also some crises: a girl decided to wander off, by herself, on the last night of the trip (!) and there was an incident of two couples kicking other people out of their hostel room so that they could have some 'alone time'. (Side note: Doesn't it seem counterintuitive to have 'alone time' when there is another couple in the room? Ew.) However, it was quite successful, and I'm going through the 300+ pictures I took so that I can post the good ones and write a decent update about the trip later. At some point.

Recent Event #2: More drama at school
That's right, I'm not even under contract anymore and I still can't get away from it. Apparently some comments that I made to a co-worker (who, until recently, I considered a friend) got back around to my boss, through two other people. These statements were used to attack her and her effectiveness at the school. Sketchy? Let's count the ways:
(1) These statements were used fourth-hand, without bothering to reconfirm with me.
(2) Board chairperson called me after the fact, to get my opinions.
(3) Apparently, griping to your co-workers can be used against you and the subject of the complaints.
I called her (my boss) today, and we're having coffee tomorrow to clear things up. She didn't sound incredibly upset, so I'm hopeful, but we'll see how it goes.

Recent Event #3: Harry Potter 7
Woo! I bought it Saturday morning (not quite enough of a dork to go to a midnight party, but enough to get up early on Saturday) and read it straight through until that evening. Fabulous! Lots o' action and drama, and plot twists. I'm going to have to read it again, slowly, because I rushed through the first time, but I must be the only person on the planet who thought the epilogue was cute. Granted, not as good as the rest of the book, but warm and fuzzy just the same.

That's the overview. Pictures of Germany/Prague/Budapest/Austria to come!