Update for the sake of having an update

More bullets!

• We have had 3 cases of head lice at school. Thinking about this makes my scalp itch.
• The kids were ANNOYING AS HELL today. Nothing major happened; they were just being disrespectful, obnoxious little brats. Oh well, I have my bratty days, they have theirs.
• I am taking tomorrow off! I have never, ever taken a day off for a reason unrelated to a special occasion or to being sick. This is a pretty big step for me. It feels nice.
• The real reason I'm taking tomorrow off is that report cards have to be done on Saturday and I haven't started them. Oops! Nothing like mandatory on-line professional development courses and endless staff meetings to eat away at your soul free time. To be honest, though, I think I've reached that point where I don't care. I cannot be bothered with this stuff; it's just too much. I've been walking around like a zombie the past three weeks and it's got to stop.
• I'm going to DC over spring break! And it's paid for! I'm going to conveniently ignore the ton of work that has been assigned to me during that time and have a vacation.
• Kudos to Hetta on moving! I fully expect before and after photos when you redecorate. :)

Just one more week... I can do it...

PEOPLE SUCK.

Also: I am in desperate need of a day off.

That is all.

The Worst Week So Far This Year

I'm too exhausted to go into all of it right now, but some high points:

• Spending 3 hours at a school board meeting, watching them make an absolutely wrong decision. Subsections of this include:

(a.) Staying at school until 9.45.

(b.) Being 'invited' to share my views with the board and then being criticized for them.

These things make me want to yell at them, 'I'M NOT COMING BACK NEXT YEAR BECAUSE I'M GOING TO CAMBRIDGE! SUCK ON THAT!' Except that would be neither polite nor professional.

• Getting lost.
• Staying at my director's house overnight because I couldn't make it home.
• Getting stuck in the road outside my house. For the third time.
• Missing THREE dance rehearsals.
• Not being able to do my laundry for the third straight week.
• Finding out that, yes indeed, I am being screwed over by my car dealership.
• Trying ineffectually to contact said dealership.

I just want to give up.

Taking up space in my brain right now:

In bullet form, because I love those bullet points:

• The snow's novelty has worn off. I love sledding and various snow-related activities as much as any former Buffalonian, but doing fun things in the snow is far different than driving in it. And by 'driving', I mean 'getting stuck twice'. My new goal in life is to live in a city with fantastic public transportation and/or win the lottery so I can hire a chauffeur, so I don't have to drive. Ever.
• Apparently my car's tires are bald. This is example #3 of the dealership screwing me over. I am pissed about this.
• I have an appointment to take my car in for a tune-up and new tires on Wednesday. Thank goodness that's also pay day.
• I totally forgot to get a gift for this baby shower that we're having for a co-worker on Thursday. I won't have time between now and then, either. What to do??
• Tomorrow night is the school board meeting at which a number of Big Important Issues will be decided. I'd planned on going, because I have some things to say about these Issues. Hopefully I won't be stuck there until 10.30 at night, which is often the time these things are finished.
• I have to attend a training session on how to use the copy machine on Wednesday. WTF?
• St. Patty's Day madness is starting up. I missed the first big rehearsal yesterday due to the aforementioned car being stuck and still am frustrated about this. However, there are rehearsals at least twice (if not three times) a week from now until then, so I guess I'll catch up.
• Still haven't done my laundry. This broken washing machine situation is the biggest pain in the ass.
• Triple Sec and Sprite is quite tasty.
• 5 hours' sleep is not good to me.

It's 8.30, and I'm going to bed in a few minutes. Good night.

The funniest thing I have heard all day

Local news weatherman, amidst wimpy little snowflakes: 'It's really coming down out here. I'm guessing it's about an inch an hour.'

WTF?! An INCH per hour constitutes really coming down?! Give me a break. I literally burst out laughing at the TV. And if that makes me a huge dork, well, so be it.

On a less funny note, these people suck at plowing the streets. It's not 'really coming down' or anything, but the streets are as slippery as... something really slippery. A wet seal, perhaps.

I am such a wimp.

It would figure that the Big Snowstorm Of The Winter So Far (cue shrieking) would occur on the one free day I'll have in the space of two weeks. I desperately need to go grocery shopping and do my laundry today, because I won't get a chance to until next weekend, but the snow is blowing sideways and I don't want to go outside. I'm not a great driver in the best of conditions, but freezing rain and snow and wind is a bit much. Maybe I'll just be that obnoxious person who drives at like 10 miles an hour down a busy road.

All right, I'm going to suck it up and go now. Wish me luck!

ETA: I made it back in one piece from the grocery store, in case anyone was wondering. However, I got stuck halfway up the driveway when I got back. The driveway is short but steep, and so I had to leave the car parked with the tail end sticking out into the road while I shoveled out the wheels so I could try to pull it in... twice. After that (and fishtailing all over the short driveway), I decided that I could live without doing laundry for another few days. Heh. I have never missed a washing machine more in my life.

Enough procrastinating, I'm going to bed now

Remember when you took that Myers-Briggs personality test in high school or college? I still remember when the career counselor told me that I was the most introverted person she had ever seen... Anyway, the descriptions on this site are actually true! Check this part out:

INTJs are usually difficult to get to know well, and difficult to get close to. Those who are close to the INTJ will highly value them for their ideas and knowledge. Although INTJs are generally very serious-minded people, they also have been known to enjoy letting loose and having fun, if others pull them into it. They also can be really good at telling jokes, and exhibiting a sarcastic wit with a poker face.

Sarcastic, me? What? Oh, I love that dry sense of humor...

Also, 'they' say I would be well-matched to a career as a scientist, professor or teacher. Maybe they know something after all. (We'll just ignore the suggestion of 'military leader'...)

Something's not right...

I've been enjoying my Day O' Freedom very much, and by that I mean doing as little as possible. Though I did get around to doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom (gross), participating in an online 'professional development' course and getting the week's lesson plans done. But somehow I've gotten this strange feeling of unease in the past 20 minutes or so. I don't know if it's because of an email from DB (he feels it's unlikely that I'll get a great deal of financial aid) or just dreading going back to work tomorrow, but my good mood has vanished. Weird.

I heart Presidents

Thank you, dead Presidents, for giving us a four-day weekend. It was/is sorely needed, especially since it's the only break we have until Easter. Oh yeah, and thanks for leading the country through its times of crisis, etc., etc.

I've filled in three of the four days so far by driving around and doing errands: planning with my co-teacher, making a half-assed attempt to reorganize my classroom, teaching Irish dance, going to dance rehearsal, putting gas in the car, going to Target, and going to the Mall. All I really needed was a black shawl-/scarf-type-thing to wear with a borrowed dress to the 'Maskenball' (that's right, the formal affair that serves as a fundraiser for the school to which the teachers were invited and/or forced to attend). However, I ended up coming home with a dress. And you all well know that I am perhaps the cheapest person on the face of the planet and rarely buy new stuff, let alone frivolous stuff that I will possibly never wear again. But this dress (apart from being on sale -- ha, some things never change) is totally worth it; I actually look good in it. And I never think that about myself, so clearly, I couldn't pass this one up. The only downside here is that I feel rather dumb and irrational having already had a decent dress, but then going and spending money on a new one. Rationalizations, anyone?

Anyway. Other things I bought at the Mall were jewelry to wear with the dress (at Claire's! I was totally surrounded by 12-year-olds and felt way too old) and shoes for no real reason other than they are very cute. And they have cherries on them. And thus ends my last shopping spree for the foreseeable future.

About the Maskenball: It was actually not that bad. A bit weird, perhaps, to be chatting with the parents of your students while sipping champagne and wearing formal attire, but rather nice. I made no huge social faux pas, so that was good. Unfortunately, it was basically single me in a sea of married people; that was a bit annoying, but I didn't really care too much. At least there was no one I really had to impress.

In other news... got some mail from Cambridge today. The more I think about it, the more I really want to go for it. Despite all reasonable thought that says, I have a job with decent security (because there is a limited pool of qualified applicants), I'm earning money and paying off loans, I've spent a lot of time and effort trying to feel at home here, I don't necessarily have good plans for the future following an MA degree... then I think, it's the University of Cambridge! Seriously, how cool is that! I checked out the website for the umpteenth time today and found a list of MPhil candidates in my department... there are ten of them. TEN. Being accepted to a program that only takes ten people a year is pretty amazing. And turning that down because I don't have a spare 18,000 pounds seems pretty stupid.

Then again, it's 18,000 pounds. Let's hope I win the lottery or strike oil or something.

Things I Have Learned From A One-Date Experience

1. There are indeed people out there who like me for who I am. Those dating gurus aren't kidding.

2. Aforementioned people are crazy and obsessive. Purely hypothetical example: Sending me two emails and calling me 6 times the day after a first date.

3. If he doesn't like coffee, it's over.

4. Correct spelling in an email counts more than you think it does. At least with me. (For god's sake, don't screw up 'your' and 'you're'!)

5. Don't tell the guy you are nervous... or anything but completely cool. German honesty wins you no points here.

6. Don't be irrationally afraid if you don't know what the plan is. *cough*control freak*cough*

7. Alcohol makes things much easier.
7a. This is why the guy should drive.

8. You are not obligated to like the person back. In fact, you are not obligated to anything.

9. Ask specific questions. 'Tell me about yourself' is not helpful.

10. Ask follow-up questions. Otherwise, your date will think you are not interested in any aspect of her life.

Guess I got something out of it after all. Email or call me if you want stories... oh, how there are stories...

Dating = Iraq

Words of wisdom on dating/breaking up from Müs:

"Don't be like President Bush. Don't be afraid to cut and run."

Thanks, man.

Why...

... am I such a basketcase?!

... can't I not flip out during a first date?!

... can't I just go out on a date like a normal person?!

I'm 25, for god's sake. I clearly need mental help.

Mmmm... saltines

Do you remember when you were in elementary school and you got the stomach flu? And all you did was lie around on the couch and watch bad daytime TV, and you ate saltines and ginger ale if you were feeling up to it? And just getting up and walking to a different room in the house would completely wear you out? Yeah, it's still like that, even if you're an adult. Though when you're older, your mom's not there to bring you coloring books.

Side note: Does anyone get the stomach flu beyond elementary school? Is it just a bug that only 6- to 11-year-olds are capable of carrying? Because this hasn't happened to me in a very long time.

In non-self-pitying news: I met this guy on Saturday, and we hit it off...possible updates to come...

BRRRRRRRRRRR!

Local forecast courtesy of weather.com:

Today: Bitterly cold. Mostly cloudy skies. Dangerous wind chills as low as -30F. High -2F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Tonight: Bitterly cold. Mostly cloudy. Low -14F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Bitterly cold. Sunshine and clouds mixed. Dangerous wind chills approaching -30F. High -1F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow night: Bitterly cold. Partly cloudy. Low around -15F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low single digits and lows -8 to -12F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

I feel like I'm living in the tundra here. Someone won't be going outside during the next few days!

Reasons why today is a great day

1. It's Müs's 22nd birthday!

2. Müs got into grad school! And they are paying him lots o' money! *Edit: Not just one, but two schools on the same day!

3. Harry Potter Book 7 is coming out in July!

4. I got a very nice compliment on my report card commentaries from my boss. She even gave me the impression that they were the best-written ones of the staff.

5. 'The Office' is on tonight! And it's new!

*happy sigh*

Small world

Check out this article:

21-year-old man accused of beating grandmother to death

The details are nothing too special, but note the address: 462 Kaymar Drive.

I grew up on 463 Kaymar Drive.

Also crazy: I remember this kid coming over to our house when I was little. My brother and I and our friends never really liked playing with him, because he was bossy and rather obnoxious and wanted to ride bikes off the front porch.

I guess we had good intuition.

Format inspired by Dwight

Fact: I have got to stop eating dinner at 7. It wrecks my blood sugar, I can't get anything done in the evening, not to mention that by 7, I am ravenous.

Fact: Today was the WORST DAY ever. I reamed out my class, and I love my class! They seriously need to pull it together. And I seriously need a few more hours of sleep.

Wait, upon further consideration, it was not the worst day ever: No one was injured or threw up in the classroom. Either of those would make for a pretty bad day.

Fact: I was invited to a formal event ('ball' might be an appropriate word) which is a fundraiser for the school. Sounds kind of cool...except when you consider that it's on a Saturday, in fact on the Saturday of our only long weekend from now until spring break. Plus the fact that there will be mostly parents from school there, which means there'd be little or no alcohol for me, since I'd have to watch what I say. Plus: Who wants to think/converse about school stuff on a Saturday?? Because we know that that's going to be the only topic of conversation. However... turning this thing down looks bad; a fundraiser to which teachers were given free tickets but they don't show is tacky. Please help me find a way to get out of this. Can I visit someone on the weekend?

Okay, the 'Fact' thing is getting old. Besides, it loses the effect when your fact is eight sentences long. One more anecdote about today: I was chatting with the kindergarten teacher after school, and we were talking about life outside (!) of school. She asked me how I fill my time outside of work, and I honestly couldn't think of an answer. I play my violin about once every other week, do the Irish dance thing but haven't done any shows yet, watch 'The Office' like a fiend, but that's about it. Really, the most accurate answer to this question would be 'sleep'. I didn't realize until this afternoon how big a loser I actually am. Scratch that, we'll go with the explanation that I am worked to death and don't have energy to pursue anything outside of school. And that is sad.

Oh yeah, let's add 'underpaid' to that last sentence.

Self-explanatory

HOLY CRAP! I got into Cambridge!!!!

No amount of exclamation points do that sentence justice...but let's add some more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donations to the Send Bridget to England Fund are now being accepted.

In which I am an obsessive fan

I recently bought the DVDs of seasons one and two of 'The Office'. This could be considered a very poor choice, in the sense that it's become my new obsession and keeps me from getting anything done. In the past two days, I have probably watched 7 episodes, some with commentaries, as well as the deleted scenes and outtakes. The great thing is that the show doesn't get less funny the more you watch it; it even gets funnier. The characters are so well-done, the writing is fantastic, and John Krasinski is now the man I want to meet before I die. I just need to get him to fly up here; I think we'd hit it off.

In more realistic news, the first-graders and their teachers had a big sleepover at the school on Friday...nothing like spending 26 consecutive hours at work! (My housemate said, 'Think of the overtime!' and then I broke into hysterical laughter.) To be honest, though, it wasn't that bad, apart from being exhausting and my having to corral 6-year-olds because their parents wouldn't/couldn't. There were lots of games, lots of food, movies, and zero crying. It actually would have been an okay Friday night, if the people I was hanging out with weren't 20 years younger than me.

So tomorrow is a teacher work day, which means no kids but hours dedicated to checking off standards and writing report cards. Yippee. Until then, I will procrastinate by watching further episodes of 'The Office'.

Gratuitous self-flattery

Our current unit in the first grade is something like 'All About Me', so an assignment for the kids was to bring in pictures, especially baby pictures, so that we can do fun projects and make collages. Of course, it's extra fun if the teacher does it too, so I had my mom send me some photos...

Very small me. I think that is one hand holding me up.

Me at 18 months. Apparently I am fond of snow globes.

(Aside to Müs: Shout out to the avocado shag carpet and the plaid couch!)

My hair is still that messy.

Dude, I was a cute kid! :) Whatever happened?