I've spent alot of time recently NOT online, Not blogging, Not facebooking, Not forum gazing etc... and in undertaking this hiatus from the net I am now coming out the other side feeling happy and 'in'secure in that I've decided not to stay at my current employment next year, rather, I will be doing casual work somewhere else and also studying for a masters in ancient history.
My last blog entry saw me deliberating over what course I would do - there were three postgrad courses I couldn't decide on, two of them offered the chance for me to progress in my teaching career and one of them was, well, just plain old fodder for my follies and guess which one I chose? LOL
I'm doing what I want to do without much regard to how it will help me excel career-wise and I couldn't be happier - except that I am very sad to leave my current school as I will truly miss both teachers and students but it really is time for me to move on.
]]>I often ponder what I'd do with my time if I didn't work at all and, in the past it's always included such things as: finish the tapestry I started 6 years ago; work on my novel (of which I have several starts but nothing that get's beyond the first chapter; work on my home; write snail mail for all of my friends.....I also want to do another degree but haven't yet decided what it will actually be yet - am tossing up between three very different courses of study at this point)
I used to ponder this with the expectation that if I didn't work I'd have so much extra time I'd be inclined to do all of the above and have a lovely martha stewart type existance but in reality I think I'd end up spending most of my days recovering from the previous night's lengthy blogging and cocommitent binge drinking that would inevitably ensue.
I'm slowly coming to a point where I feel that of the options I've listed above a course of study is the next thing I'll be devoting my spare time to however, I still need to work out exactly which course I'll do.....
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This year I didn't make any resolutions. I didn't decide to give up smoking or drinking, to lose weight or do more exercise but I did decide to spend time on removing clutter from my home and so far it's turning out very well. It all started when we got back from holidays and I decided it was time to clean underneath the fridge. We have a very large fridge and since we've moved here I can't remember when I last moved it to clean underneath it. The less said on the matter the better but I will say that when I did manage the squirm the fridge free from it's area the vision was one of horror and I spent an entire day clearing and scrubbing away and I can honestly say my kitchen is absolutely spotless now. Once started I dove in with full force and even sugar soaped the walls after which my nails became flaked and broken but it was worth it.
Today I spring cleaned the rest of the downstairs areas and when I got a call from a friend wanting to visit with his nephews I happily agreed and we had a fab night of pizza and kid's dvd's as well as tiring out the pug who initially looked like she was untireable. If I'd have thought of a resolution it would have been just that - decluttering and doing a much better job of keeping the house clean - sure I'm sitting here drinking wine and having the odd ciggarette but I would have been doing that anyway even if I'd decided yet again that this would be the year of me not drinking anything alcoholic or smoking at all. This year I will at some stage give up the association between smoking and drinking and will continue to drink quality red wine as I've already started on and I'll probably keep losing weight as I already was. I'm not making any grandiose promises to myself other than I'm going to remain happy and as carefree as I can be.
]]>Were your holiday cards store bought, handmade, online, TBD or MIA?
I don't even know what TBD or MIA mean - is that 'Tuberculosis deviation and Missing In Action?
I sent two lots of cards - one charity cards bought from door to door sales people from the charity and the second lot were store bought.
]]>Who do you want to be caught under the mistletoe with this holiday season?
Submitted by An Ebony Epicurean.
Very boring I know but I'd say my husband as we've both been so busy I'm starting to miss him. In a husband-less world I would say Johnny Depp.
]]>What was your major or field of study in college? Did you wind up working in that field or using that degree? If not, what field have you wound up in?
Submitted by sneuf.
I did a BA majoring in Chinese (Mandarin) and although it's not really a vocation in itself I did successfully use the degree to get a job in University admin which was great - would love to go back to that some day. My second degree was an MTeach majoring in Chinese language and History and I use that to work as a temporary teacher, am loving teaching too but am not sure if this it 'it'. I think I've used both degrees quite well actually despite my mother's and several of my colleagues' protestations that I'm an underachiever.
]]>A well organised shopping expedition on Friday saw me complete my Christmas shopping including colleagues which was no mean feat as we always buy small gifts for each other in the faculty and it is extremely difficult coming up with different ideas every year that won't break the budget.
Today I went to work as usual and received cards and gifts from 3 people I hadn't counted on so off I went this afternoon to get some more gifts for those people. This week is the week from hell when it comes to functions, lunches and other preparations and tonight we had our school's presentation extraveganza which was great btw but menat that I had to get my gifts wrapped and ready in order to give them out tomorrow at work. I've just finished this task and despite my fatigue I'm sitting here drinking a beer as I'm just too exhausted to sleep now.
Tomorrow is my last day of teaching for this year and I'd promised my students a game of jeopardy to reward them for their effort this semester and imagine my surprise when I remembered tonight, during the presentation that I hadn't actually organised the questions - I've just finished them tonight and plan to cut up the cards during first period tomorrow at which time something else I need to do will come up and I'll be spitting chips trying to get it done. Now I'm panicking I haven't bought enough prizes so will probably head out to the supermarket tomorrow morning before school to get some more.
I am absolutely buggered.
]]>If you could get everyone in the world to change their behavior in one way, what would you have them do differently?
Submitted by Ross.
I'd have everyone pay if forward i.e Everyone would greet the people they walked by with a smile, take the time to help another down the stairs at the station or on an escalator at the shopping centre, step in and help another when they are obviously in a situation where they needed help. Community awareness!
]]>Yes I'm talking about you - pug - who less than stealthly shadows my every move after I've been to the fridge to get supplies. Stop stalking me daft pug lest I aim a swift kick to your ample abdomen or cruelly chant 'nyar nyar ny nyar nar!' because I reign supreme on the contents of my fridge and I alone decide whether or not you gain anything from your immediate response to the fact that I've opened it.
Scab pug - cease and desist, I'm not going to give you anything because you are already in the obese toy breed category without even trying and believe it or not we actually want you to live a long life because damn it we love your ugly mug with all our heart!
You can stare up at me with all your might with those huge bulbous eyes and that 'am I not pretty enough' gaze and I tell you pug - no, you are not pretty enough for me to allow to eat yourself to death despite your constant attempts - you've destroyed everything that was previously good and pure in our back room down to the architraves that you've so unceremoniously chewed to bits, our venetian blinds now lie haphazardly in your wake and damn it no, I'm not going to reward you for doing that.
Stop stalking me! ok, you have hypnotic eyes that not unlike the mona lisa follow you about the room (although I hasten to add that the Mona Lisa actually follows you in one direction) you seriously are one cute pug with your deformed tail the breeder said would curl up anytime soon - any time soon? we've been asked on several occasions why we had your tail docked - we didn't and never would have, it's just an extra small pug tail that isn't long enough to curl around.....
yet you're still a scab - a regal breed, bred for kings and queens of yester lore, bred for the queens of today yet we love you still.. You bloody expensive piece of dogmanity you are - a pug isn't for the faint of pocket, as ugly as you'd have it they reign supreme as the 'ugly pet is the new black' regime would have it.
]]>No it's not me who is obliged to invite people I don't know to my own function (btdt!!!) - this time we're on the receiving end and are those who the soon to be engaged couple appear to be obliged to invite.
I felt really awful replying to the rsvp - I phoned a person I do not know and would be hard pressed to pick out of a line up but said we'd be there (the whole family - a couple and 3 children no less!) as my mother in law assured me that yes I did know them and should attend.
I felt even worse today when I went shopping for a gift for the newly engaged couple - if I couldn't even pick them out in a line up how could I possibly decide upon a gift that would suit? I phoned my sister in law and she had felt that same way when she bought a present for them - money in an envelope is always good for these situations but when you've not alot of money to spare a tangible gift is alot cheaper so shopping I went.
I'm really pleased with the roasting pans I bought - they are truly something I would want and need and a good brand that is sure to last. Can't wait to see who I've actually bought these pans for though - will find out tomorrow...
At the end of the day though why do people hold enormous functions inviting people they hardly know? When I rsvp'd the person on the other end of the phone (one of the parents I gather) had a hard time remembering who we were and I felt really stupid trying to 'reassure' them we actually were invited! At least I will be attending with 3 sons who are adept at Greek dancing and will definitely gain alot of kudos for it. I'm looking forward to at least that! As with most Greek functions we're assured of a fantastic evening of dance and I just hope that the happy couple will be familiar to me when I see them and I hope they enjoy the present I spent hours choosing for them.
Again I ask why? Why invite people you don't know to celebrate what could be one of the biggest celebrations of your life?
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