RBOC, from Red State....

In the form of a few life lessons...

• If your committee meeting never starts on time, people will always be late. If they really can't be there for the start of the meeting, move the meeting time a bit later and insist on being timely.
• Don't pick unnecessary fights. This goes for student/teacher interactions as well as faculty to faculty interactions. Sometimes you really can get by without having it out -- and if the other person wants to fight, then let them start it and look like a jerk when you have excellent responses. Starting the fight gives them the advantage because you put your arguments out there, thus you lose the element of surprise.
  
• Just because you think something, doesn't mean you have to say it. Really, nobody cares about 95% of what goes on in your head -- only let out the stuff that makes a difference.
• Driving a big truck doesn't make you a man -- really.
  
• November is a deadly time for deer on the road -- the road to Red State was often smeared with the blood of deer hit by cars. It was really icky.
• Changing time sucks -- especially if you plan to drive from BNState to Red State after classes... and, due to road construction don't even really get out of the area of BNCC until 3:00.... Today it was almost dark by the time I hit Corn State ---ICK!
• Gas is cheaper in Corn State -- due to the ethanol subsidy. I can do this trip by only buying gas in Corn State, YEA!
  
• I like my music ritual for arriving in Red State city... There is a song about this city that describes it well -- So as soon as I can see the tallest buildings at a distance, I start playing the song on my ipod and singing along in the car. I repeat the song until I get to hubby's.
• I'm glad the semester is close to being over, at least from a LD relationship point of view... I'll probably do just one more Red State trip this semester. The trip itself isn't bad, but staying awake and aware all the way down, in the mostly dark is kind of a challenge.