Gosh, why didn't I just get a beer in the first place? Liquor loosens the tongue, but it also makes the fingers nimbler and it enables the mind to function slightly above normal levels of coherence. See, I'm not drunk, but just tipsy enough to be witty and creative.
I hereby declare that everyone in my family will receive either a tee shirt, a book or an Aerobed for Christmas this year.
Tee shirts are great because they are comfortable and guaranteed to be used at some point. Who can resist a retro tee, especially when everything that was cool in the 70s, bumpin' in the 80s and awesome in the 90s is hot again! Someone is getting the vintage Captain Kirk and someone else is getting a Wonder Woman shirt. If I find some School House Rock prints, its on!
Every year the hub and I spend hours at Target with a list of sizes for these ever-growing kids in the family. We usually do the right thing, but when we pause to remember the disappointment from our childhoods when aunts and uncles only gave us clothes, we cave into the pressure of remaining "cool" and dash over the the toy department to make additional selections. That era is over because they're all getting books and will be much smarter because of it. Dammit, I'm tired of low test scores attributed to brown children, and despite the fact that several of these kids are near-geniuses, I want to lay the groundwork for the bragging I plan to do at 50. Chapter books for kids older than 8 and pictural guides for everyone else. Hell, even the baby girls will get books!
Aerobeds are practical for people who have relatives who come to visit. The hub and I go to NYC about five times a year and someone has to host us (cause we are colored, and colored folks do not stay in hotels in cities where they have relatives). My kind mother-in-law gives up her bed for a few days, but the bed is so uncomfortable that if given the choice, I would rather sleep on the floor. So why not just get her an Aerobed so that I can do just that? And if one of the siblings wants us to spend time with the nieces and nephews, then the Aerobed solution still works well. Everyone over 40 gets one of those!
As for those obligatory gifts for people who aren't related to me by either blood or marriage, they'll get baked goods, ornaments or a bottle of wine.
See, all of my shopping is done!
Hey, I like Christmas and I love to shop, but I abhor the combination of the two. My tolerance for people and malls is at an all-time low this time of year (even as I contemplate a seasonal retail position for more cash...)
Listen and repeat after me: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE PERFECT GIFT, so save yourself some aggravation. Donate the money you would have spent on Chia pets and singing fish to the poor. That is the real meaning of Christmas. The rest of us don't care one wit what we get as long as it isn't a Chia pet or a singing fish.
Ok, if there is nothing more, I have to go because my beer is all gone now, and I suspect that my buzz will follow. Ciao!
Monday, November 28, 2005
Zzzzzzzzzzz...........
I can't think of a single thing to write about.
I thought about my upcoming birthday and the meaning of maturity. But that isn't very interesting or funny, is it?
I considered another pitiful lament about my chronically over-scheduled life. But you already know that, so why beat that horse to death?
I figured it might be cool to list all of the reasons why I love cable. But there is a show about that already called "Best Week Ever" on VH1.
I could rail about hip hop and its negative influence on our children, but the people to whom I would direct my comments do not read my blog (as does no one else, generally).
I could complain about how I have neighbors who actually put up Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving day. But I'm sure that there is someone out there who knows the idiot who put them out the day after Halloween.
Finally, I could heap ridicule on any number of people, but I'm so apathetic right now. I think it is best that I take a nap, and then perhaps, the next time I check in here, I'll have something worth the effort.
Nighty-night.
I thought about my upcoming birthday and the meaning of maturity. But that isn't very interesting or funny, is it?
I considered another pitiful lament about my chronically over-scheduled life. But you already know that, so why beat that horse to death?
I figured it might be cool to list all of the reasons why I love cable. But there is a show about that already called "Best Week Ever" on VH1.
I could rail about hip hop and its negative influence on our children, but the people to whom I would direct my comments do not read my blog (as does no one else, generally).
I could complain about how I have neighbors who actually put up Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving day. But I'm sure that there is someone out there who knows the idiot who put them out the day after Halloween.
Finally, I could heap ridicule on any number of people, but I'm so apathetic right now. I think it is best that I take a nap, and then perhaps, the next time I check in here, I'll have something worth the effort.
Nighty-night.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Nano Wrimo, or Drive Yourself Crazy
I was checking out other blogs the other day, which inspired me to sign up for National Novel Writing Month. I've written a grand total of 100 words. At least it is better than zero.
Initially I was not going to participate because I do not have the time. I still don't have the time. If nothing else, I will get about 10,000 words written and then I will leave the unfinished project on my hard drive for future generations to discover. That is precisely why I signed up. I need some incentive to get something finished.
Then I met someone who gave me even more inspiration, only it won't help me with my Nanowrimo committment. It is a completely different project, but at least I got started on that one. I was having a mimosa inspired chat with the brother of a friend, when I started in on one of my "mama" pep talks in which I have all of the answers for other folks' problems, but not a clue about any of my own.
And that got me to thinking about how I could get my sh** together and take some of my own advice. I just need a few days without someone else's crap in my lap to get my own stuff accomplished.
I know that my ADHD is in overdrive, and that I am way too over-extended for creative pursuits. But dammit, when will I ever have time for my agenda? If I want to be an artist, I have to devote time to my art, in much the same way I devote whole chunks of time to everyone else. I need to become more selfish.
It is nearly impossible to balance competing committments. On the one hand, I hear my inner voice urging me to blow off some steam by jotting down a few words here and there. On the other hand, I hear that ever-present clock ticking in my head, and despite my every attempt to ignore it, it never goes away.
So for the month of November, I am going to committ myself to finishing something of my own. It doesn't matter what it is, and while it probably won't be the novel, something is going to be printed, bound in a nice folder with a title on a label with my name written printed on it as the author. So help me!
Initially I was not going to participate because I do not have the time. I still don't have the time. If nothing else, I will get about 10,000 words written and then I will leave the unfinished project on my hard drive for future generations to discover. That is precisely why I signed up. I need some incentive to get something finished.
Then I met someone who gave me even more inspiration, only it won't help me with my Nanowrimo committment. It is a completely different project, but at least I got started on that one. I was having a mimosa inspired chat with the brother of a friend, when I started in on one of my "mama" pep talks in which I have all of the answers for other folks' problems, but not a clue about any of my own.
And that got me to thinking about how I could get my sh** together and take some of my own advice. I just need a few days without someone else's crap in my lap to get my own stuff accomplished.
I know that my ADHD is in overdrive, and that I am way too over-extended for creative pursuits. But dammit, when will I ever have time for my agenda? If I want to be an artist, I have to devote time to my art, in much the same way I devote whole chunks of time to everyone else. I need to become more selfish.
It is nearly impossible to balance competing committments. On the one hand, I hear my inner voice urging me to blow off some steam by jotting down a few words here and there. On the other hand, I hear that ever-present clock ticking in my head, and despite my every attempt to ignore it, it never goes away.
So for the month of November, I am going to committ myself to finishing something of my own. It doesn't matter what it is, and while it probably won't be the novel, something is going to be printed, bound in a nice folder with a title on a label with my name written printed on it as the author. So help me!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Vacations are for the Lucky
A lot of people are off from work today. I am not. I am working, although now I am taking a break to blog a bit before I dash off on another project. No rest for the weary.
Last night I worked until 11pm. I got to campus late and then spent an hour printing and grading assignments so that my students won't think that I am still three weeks behind--just a week and a half!
This blog offers me a bit of a vacation. I get to spout off on topics that have nothing to do with black history/civil rights, child custody, SAT prep or my alumnae association.
For example, I've been thinking about the pretty leaves that were just on the trees a week ago. They've started to fall, and it all seems so sad. Winter is around the corner. This year went by too fast. My parents got married 33 years ago today. My birthday is in less than a month. I just spoke to my best friend for the first time in weeks. I spoke to my other best friend the other day for the first time in months. I have another best friend whom I have not spoken to in a year. Some best friend I am...
See what just happened there? Back to the leaves! My hub is outside right now raking, on his day off, while I sit in front of the computer still in my pjs. It is way after noon and I need to get cleaned up before I go out. But that is one of the perks in working from home. No one ever knows that you aren't dressed. No one knows that you periodically take TV breaks because you need reasons to get away from the computer. No one knows that you sometimes work well beyond midnight because you spent half of the day trying to fix your printer. These things happen sometimes.
In these last crisp days of fall, I've been meaning to ride my bike, but I keep finding reasons to stay holed up in the house in front of the computer. I have ambitions of riding all the way into downtown. They may have to wait until Spring when the time change allows for more daylight. The time just changed last weekend, so now it gets dark at 5:30. It also gets cooler at night, so I've pulled out my sweaters and have prepared to bulk up for the winter.
OK, enough daydreaming. Time to get back to the real world. Thank you for taking this little trip with me. Bu-bye!
Last night I worked until 11pm. I got to campus late and then spent an hour printing and grading assignments so that my students won't think that I am still three weeks behind--just a week and a half!
This blog offers me a bit of a vacation. I get to spout off on topics that have nothing to do with black history/civil rights, child custody, SAT prep or my alumnae association.
For example, I've been thinking about the pretty leaves that were just on the trees a week ago. They've started to fall, and it all seems so sad. Winter is around the corner. This year went by too fast. My parents got married 33 years ago today. My birthday is in less than a month. I just spoke to my best friend for the first time in weeks. I spoke to my other best friend the other day for the first time in months. I have another best friend whom I have not spoken to in a year. Some best friend I am...
See what just happened there? Back to the leaves! My hub is outside right now raking, on his day off, while I sit in front of the computer still in my pjs. It is way after noon and I need to get cleaned up before I go out. But that is one of the perks in working from home. No one ever knows that you aren't dressed. No one knows that you periodically take TV breaks because you need reasons to get away from the computer. No one knows that you sometimes work well beyond midnight because you spent half of the day trying to fix your printer. These things happen sometimes.
In these last crisp days of fall, I've been meaning to ride my bike, but I keep finding reasons to stay holed up in the house in front of the computer. I have ambitions of riding all the way into downtown. They may have to wait until Spring when the time change allows for more daylight. The time just changed last weekend, so now it gets dark at 5:30. It also gets cooler at night, so I've pulled out my sweaters and have prepared to bulk up for the winter.
OK, enough daydreaming. Time to get back to the real world. Thank you for taking this little trip with me. Bu-bye!
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
On the Run
It has been ages, no eons, since I last posted something worth reading in this space. I have a few incompletes, which I hope to finish and post someday, but I thought that I would check in and jot down a few notes about what's been going on in my life lately.
AAARRGGGHHHHH!!!
Well, that's about it. I have clients, students, relatives and friends who are all pulling my strings these days. I either need a good pair of scissors, or I need to learn how to say no and really mean it.
In conclusion, I want to declare that I intended to participate in that November novel-writing thing, but given the craziness of my schedule, this post might be the sum total of my creative output this month. If I had not already committed myself for December, I would simply put it off for a month, but alas, that is impossible. Finally, a quick glance at my schedule indicates that I will not have time to write a novel until my kids are grown and out of the house.
Oh sh**, I forgot! I don't even have children yet... All those little people whom I've adopted into my extended family don't actually belong to me. My bad.
And that supposed job that someone called me about in July still has yet to materialize. I continue to be an over-educated, under-employed bum.
In spite of it all, I'm alright. I got a quick second or two to blog (and people are actually starting to read my musings, although I am concerned that my "fans" tend to have an affinity for porn and anti-depressants). What can I say?
Ciao!
AAARRGGGHHHHH!!!
Well, that's about it. I have clients, students, relatives and friends who are all pulling my strings these days. I either need a good pair of scissors, or I need to learn how to say no and really mean it.
In conclusion, I want to declare that I intended to participate in that November novel-writing thing, but given the craziness of my schedule, this post might be the sum total of my creative output this month. If I had not already committed myself for December, I would simply put it off for a month, but alas, that is impossible. Finally, a quick glance at my schedule indicates that I will not have time to write a novel until my kids are grown and out of the house.
Oh sh**, I forgot! I don't even have children yet... All those little people whom I've adopted into my extended family don't actually belong to me. My bad.
And that supposed job that someone called me about in July still has yet to materialize. I continue to be an over-educated, under-employed bum.
In spite of it all, I'm alright. I got a quick second or two to blog (and people are actually starting to read my musings, although I am concerned that my "fans" tend to have an affinity for porn and anti-depressants). What can I say?
Ciao!
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