3rd box..

of kleenex -- today.

Yep, I've use up two whole boxes of kleenex and I'm starting on a third.

In case you are wondering.. a box of snotty kleenex fills up about 3/4 of a brown grocery bag.

Whever gave this to me is in big trouble --

I love the debate community, but...

someone gave me a cold... a really nasty cold.

That person should feel guilty that I'm spending my first days as a non-debate coach blowing my nose and cursing their existence.

and then I got the e-mail...

This semester I met an unusual student.... I'll call her "C".

C came to me at the beginning of class, to let me know that she was being treated for throat cancer and may be missing class on occasion. She had a doctor's note, and she didn't look like she was feeling well.

A few weeks later C came to me again. She had a note, it seems that during a procedure they slipped or something and now she was unable to speak. She was concerned about her group presentation, as the doctor said she wouldn't be permitted to speak until just before the assigned presentation date. She was also concerned about her class participation grade.

A couple of weeks later, I got an e-mail from C's daughter. It seems her mom was in the hospital waiting to be released. C was worried about missing classes and offered her father's cell phone number if I needed a verification.

Before Spring Break, C was in class for a couple of weeks in a row and seemed to be doing ok. She was coping with not being able to speak. She turned in her exam and got it back with a good grade she earned. I was happy to see that she'd been keeping up on the reading assignments and was able to complete the take-home exam even when she hadn't been feeling well.

and.. then I got today's e-mail.

C's daughter e-mailed me. It seems that C's cancer is terminal. C's daughter was concerned about her mother being able to finish the class. I gave her the option of an alternate assignment for course credit, or a withdrawl from the course. I don't suppose it is really fair that the other students have to do the exams and a presentation to finish the class-- but, I also don't suppose it is f-ing fair that a good student, smart mom and very nice person has terminal cancer. Life isn't fair. I can say that I'd do the same for any student of mine with terminal cancer -- if she wants to write a paper to finish the course during the end of her life, the least I can do is to give her the last college credit she'll earn.

I can't imagine it -- being worried about completing a philosophy course when you've been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

I really, really, really don't want to have to go to this woman's funeral.

What I really, really, really DO want is to be able to have her in future classes and to invite her to my drunken-brawl (yea, right) when I finish my dissertation.

What I really, really, really want for her is for her to see her daughter graduate from high school -- and to finish her own college degree.

When mom told me once that life isn't fair, she was right -- but I want it to be a little less un-fair in C's case.

If you pray, please do so for her --

a productive day...

I started the day in kind of a funk -- it was raining and I didn't want to get out of bed and extra toes was extra cuddly. I realized that I needed to get my act together, and then --- shock of all shocks -- I did it :).

I paid the electric bill (boo on procrastination, yea on not having the electricty turned off).

I got the oil changed in the car, filled it with gas, got it detailed (it was kind of icky inside... ) and I got the tires rotated... wow. Tomorrow I'll get the tags for it, and it will be like new.

Then I went to school, taught deductions and Descartes' Meditations I and II without losing my voice, and wrote a letter of recommendation...

I also went to Sam's club and fell in love with a leather recliner I'll buy next week when hubby is home with the Jeep. Next week I'll have a yummy leather chair that also reclines (but doesn't look like a puffy recliner... ).

I also ate pretty healthy -- until I go get the ice cream from the freezer for a snack...

Tomorrow, I'll bring my laundry to Omaha for the weekend. While I'm down there I'll take my car back to Best Buy so they can fix the lighter they broke when they installed my sterio AND they can make my ipod cord longer...

not bad for the week after nationals, eh?

the book buying guy...

The guy who buys textbooks came by today.

I have never sold books before, but I'll do it from now on. I got a wad of cash and some more room on my bookshelves. I'd invite him to my house, but the copies I have at home are probably too old to have any value.

I went to IKEA tonight and spent a little of it -- I think the rest will go toward a new chair for the living room...

I love found money.

spring has sprung..

and things are changing....

Today was a day of lots of confidential stuff, so I can't blab -- but, it is all potentially good.

Several friends are looking to make positive moves in their lives, and actually going for it. One is on the way up, and several may be playing musical chairs.. but all the moves are for the better.

A friend with a conflict seems to have it resolving in her favor. She may later regret getting what she asked for, but it I think it will be a good thing in the long-run.

A random discussion with a student lead to a resolution of her problem, and probably to my getting a great student in my summer logic class.

Amazing friends...

Old Kitty died in her sleep either last night or early this morning. Brain found her this morning. She died in her sleep, like she spent most of her final years. She was old, had no teeth and really no appetite in the last few weeks. It really was only a matter of time.

I'll write more about this later -- and probably post some photos...

I learned today that there are several levels of friend -- there are pals, friends, good friends and friends who will bury your dead cat for you.

I wish there were a Hallmark card or appropriate gift that says, "thank-you for buring my cat, because it would have been really awful for me to come home late tonight and have to deal with it without hubby's help".

Debate Drama...

As y'all know, I've been at the big nationals this weekend.

Big nationals is very different, in some ways, from the tournament I helped to run and create. Those differences seemed to come out more this year than in others. Every year, Big nationals seems to contain some surprises -- and even those who are fans of Big nationals say that it takes luck and good politics to win. This year seems to be no exception.

I can't say that there wasn't good debate at Big nationals -- because there was. There are plenty of smart debaters, smart coaches and smart judges... but, this year it doesn't seem as if there was the expected consensus as to what good debate IS.

This makes preparation pretty difficult, because if you don't know what good debate is -- how can you aim for it?

I will also say that, while my team did well (another team award this year... yea!), and my foster-team did even better (yea D2 and D3) -- there were several excellent teams that were eliminated too early. I think this is a problem with the open nature of Big tournament... having every interested team come and slug it out is great, and perhaps the way it should be. The problem is that those inexperienced teams bring their judges, and those judges just aren't experienced at judging high-level debates. So, while the excellent coach/judge of the top teams is watching the teams of the inexperienced judge, that judge is watching the highly-developed team and not understanding what they are seeing.

I'm not at all sad to say that I won't be back to this tournament. I'll do our tournament next year -- I'm not sure I'll ever miss it... but Big nationals is just too unpredictable.

my last tournament as a coach...

is over, for me and my students... Next year will be strange, but in a good way. I won't come to this tournament next year (I swear!!!!) -- the timing won't be good and since I won't have competitors here, I think it is time to say enough is enough.

I'm excited for D2 and D3 (D2's new partner -- who, by the way, is both nice and smart --) -- they did well at this tournament... the best performance in the 'upper midwest' (for all it is worth... hmmm) they also got great news about their debate program.

I saw some friends, talked to some people I don't consider friends and generally had a good time while getting sick and losing my voice. Needless to say, I'm exhausted and eager to get home tomorrow night -- to some solitude and some cats who are missing me.

This afternoon we'll probably play in the mountains near this little mountain town...

later, someone will win a national championship title --- other people will lose rounds and everyone will start talking about what they are going to do next. Thus is the way of debate.

I'll probably have a few more posts on the subject, later -- when I'm not fried.

one more tournament... wow

I'm up early for an 8:45 flight from Red State to Mountain State -- the hosts of JKLDALNPDALK nationals are in a city about 90 minutes from the main Mountain State airport...

I'll meet my team in Mountain State, thus ending my 2 day Spring Break.... which was actually pretty nice.

I got a great pedicure and some waxing on Tuesday, then I went back to bed with a book... "Alas, Babylon" -- If you haven't read it, it is a classic and you really ought to do so.

Yesterday hubby was off, so we hung out in the morning, went to a late breakfast and then I hung out with him during his office hours and we decided on our strike strategy for nationals.

Then, on the way home, we decided to buy a basketball hoop... you know, the ones you can put together and put up in the driveway --one of those.... we got most of it up before it started to rain and thunder....

Now, I'm off to a second national tournament.... I swear, my Spring Break 08 won't be a debate trip....

by the way...

Hubby and I have a deal. He limits his poker losses to his 'fun' money. When he wins a bit, he buys me stuff to buy off my Scandinavian dislike for any kind of risk with money...

Last week hubby won enough playing poker to get me a new, 80 gig, video ipod.

It is coooool. It is a black and I found a snazzy, red Liz Claiborn case for it... It has a bunch of video on it and isn't even 30% full.

I can now watch/listen to TV on airplanes and while I'm driving in Iowa.

I'm already watching Jehrico on it and I have the first episodes of a couple of other things... any suggestions?

today -- all about me...

Well, every day is more or less about me.. but, today I'm in Red State and don't have any grading to do....

I'm going to get a pedicure.

Before my pedicure I'll have a yummy coffee, and afterward maybe some lunch.

When I get back to hubby's place, I may go to bed for the rest of the afternoon -- or maybe I'll read a book for fun, or watch TV...

Tonight I might start thinking about strikes for the huge national tournament -- or, maybe not.

Today, though is my one real Spring Break day, and I'm going to enjoy it.

a small bit of debate justice...

Every year the big national tournament has a novice speaker award.

The award is nice, because it recognizes people who are in their first year EVER of debate -- by their definition of "novice" they ask if the person did ANY high school debate... or maybe it was more than one semester or something.. but, by "novice" they don't mean 'had lots of high school debate experience, won awards and other stuff and then did their first year of college'.

D1's partner last year, D2, was a real novice. So novice that he was actually IN high school last year (oh no, we can't tease him about that anymore... he graduated...darn :) ). Late the last day of competition, Dr. Snoopy-Dance (a good friend who needs a nickname) came to me to ask about D2's high school speech or debate experience. I told him D2 had none, and he was happy to hear it.

Dr. Snoopy-Dance is in charge of the novice speaker awards. Dr. Snoopy-Dance is also very precise and fair -- he asks the same question in the same way of everybody. It turns out that several coaches were either intentionally ignorant or just plain liars -- because last summer someone figured out that a bunch of the "novices" that year had high school experience.... including the one who beat out D2 for a big, fat (ugly) trophy.

Of course, I went to Dr. Snoopy-Dance immediately, he started an investigation -- along with Herr Tall (another pal who needed a name). They gathered evidence and submitted it to the board, and then I heard nothing.

I found out yesterday that they are going to correct the error -- and that D2 will get a new award... as will all the others who got the wrong ones. I was happy. I really wanted that to work out in D2's favor... because he worked really hard to keep up with D1, and he'd earned the award.

So, yea for Herr Tall and Dr. Snoopy-Dance.

debate update...

D1 lost the first of the single-elimination rounds.. He and his partner were happy with the way they debated, so -- while they are a little dissapointed, they'll survive :). I'm still hella proud of him, and he has a couple more naitonals this year to take a shot at it.

Some of my other favorite teams are still in -- D1's new teamates are in semis, as are a couple of guys from MO who are just brilliant, nice people -- and who, I'm sure, will be the leaders of the revolution someone else in their posse proclaimed to start :).

It is now 10:00... and we still have another round, plus awards to go. It will be a long night, but we are all tired in that good way that you get when you know you've done something hard, but worthwhile.

NPJKQRSNPTE update...

D1 is doing great --- as in... in a double-elimination system, he hasn't lost a round. He's in the top 9 in the country for sure...

I'm three debate tournament wins away from a tatoo... yikes.

Even if D1 loses this round, he'll be in the single-elimination round part of the tournament. I told him that if he won nationals, I'd get a tatoo-- it is an extension of a deal I made last year that if they won a tournament, I'd get one.

Of course, I made the deal before I realized D1 was going to be good.

Saying I'm done...

I'm feeling even more done with the debate scene -- because I'm telling people face to face that I'm done coaching.

I've made some good pals, people I like to keep in contact with and whose lives interest me -- but, they are kind of temporary, I only see them at tournaments -- and when I'm gone, they'll chat with other people.

I waited to tell most people until they decided what would happen to the program after I'm done. It is good to know that the person who will be taking over for me has a good reputation among the people I know and trust. It is easier to go, knowing that what I've built up won't go away.... of course, he's planning to change debate genres -- and I wish him luck in that --

On the other hand, he's said that he doesn't want to coach permanently, so -- if you have policy experience and want my coaching job in the next couple of years -- keep your eyes open for an announcment. I'd love to have someone who knows both kinds of debate, so that if/when it becomes clear that doing policy with BNCC students is just too hard -- they can changee :).

As for the tournament itself, it is going pretty well -- we are nearly on-time and things are humming along like usual. Every year we have a new challenge, and this year is no exception. But -- the judges and debaters seem to be having a good time and there seem to be good debates happening all over... so, it is a success so far.

tour de square states....

I'm off for one more debate tournament.

My last as a coach -- which is odd enough.

Between national tournaments I'll spend my down-time in Red State -- all two days of my Spring Break. Don't go getting jealous or anything :).

I packed last night. I have one suitcase I'll take with me everywhere -- and another that has extra stuff that will end it's travels in Red State on Monday.

I was smart enough to book middle of the day flights, so this moring will be the usual getting ready to leave the cats in Brain's care. This is more complicated now that Old Kitty has no teeth -- but, my 4-day cat feeder helps the situation.

I'm sure I'll be updating from the road -- this blog was born in a hotel on a debate trip, why not continue the tradition?

4-day cat feeder and and new TV show...

Odly, I blame UPS for getting me hooked on Jericho...

It is on "On Demand".

I was waiting for UPS to deliver my new automatic cat feeder, so old kitty can have food while I'm gone... It finally came -- YEA!

I couldn't leave the house because I need to have it by tomorrow morning, and I didn't want to clean or do something productive, plus I had laundry to fold.

So, I looked at Comcast On Demand, picked a show and watched the oldest one.. and I was hooked.

It is a show about a small town in Kansas after a nuclear attack on major US cities. It is pretty interesting so far.

Interesting enough to make me watch four episodes and download the rest from itunes.

I loooove finding a new TV show.

Don't you think...

that, if your logic teacher told you that there would be some translations duplicated from the quiz to the exam.

And, if that same logic teacher turned some of the translations from quiz questions to extra-credit questions, saying that they were a bit too difficult for the quiz, but not too difficult for the exam.

And, if -- during the review, your logic teacher told you to look at your old quizzes for the translaitons, and to be sure you know them...

Don't you think you'd take the time to figure out questions that are 6% of an exam you are worried about.

or -- if you answered "no, I wouldn't believe my instructor when she tells you that they'd be on the exam." -- I'd say, "stop reading my blog and go do your homework...your exams aren't coming out very well so far and you'll need to learn to do proofs to get your C".

really folks -- sadly, I'm not at all surprised, I'm just kind of sad that they aren't getting those three questions correct.

Cats gone Wild...

or, how my cats changed roles...

Usually, Old Kitty is two of the cat dwarfs around here -- she's both Stinky and Pukey.

This morning, extra-toes is Pukey and blind-kitty is Stinky... Old Kitty is just Sleepy.

You really don't want the details -- especially on Stinky, suffice it to say he's got long hair... and I can smell him when he comes in the room.

It is going to be a long day.

Ummm, duh...

If there isn't any evidence that my twin doesn't exist, it is reasonable to believe that she's out there --- right?

If there isn't any evidence that Santa doesn't exist, it is reasonable to believe that he does -- right?

NO. NO. NO. NO.

I actually had a student try to tell me that, since there is no evidence that God doesn't exist, it is reasonable to believe that s/he does... huh?

This is the same bozo that says Russell's argument that says, 1) We ought not believe in something for which there is no solid evidence, 2) There is no solid evidence that God exists (most of "Why I am not a Christian".), 3) Thus, it is not reasonable to believe that God exists -- doesn't make sense.

hmmm-- dork. do the reading, come to class.... don't give me the stink-eye.

aargh.....

I also had a student who kept not even listening to me when I gave her more help than I should have on the exam.... several times. She's a bit older, maybe has a language issue and missed at least three classes from this section without doing the work or asking for extra help.

Sadly, she deserves to fail the exam -- which is probably what will happen when I grade them tomorrow.

Music and Lyrics...

and, after a nap, a mini-eating binge, grading a set of papers and a good pout, I went to a movie.

"Music and Lyrics" was really fun -- Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant did a great job.

It was fun because Hugh Grant plays an 80s pop star -- doing the things that some aging pop stars ARE doing.

It had some good funny moments, it had some tender and sweet moments.

I'll never look at a grand piano the same way again...

Go see it if you need a boost. It worked for me.

Hubby's back in Red State.... I'm grumpy

I think one of the things I dislike the most about the long-distance relationship is the adjustment to alone status.

It isn't that I'm lonely --- I'm perfectly happy to be home alone. It is just that there is kind of a shock that happens after he's here and then he's not... that is what I don't like.

If I could flip from "hubby's home" to "happily home alone" status, it would be fine. I just don't like having to make the change, although I should be better at this than I am.

I don't have the adjustment problem when I visit Red State -- because I'm the one coming and going... and when I get home the place doesn't seem empty.

Maybe I just need to put it on the Law & Order channell and pretend he's home...

One more tournament down... two nationals to go

It seems kind of odd to me that this will be my last year coaching a team at KLNPDAKL nationals (for new readers, I add a few letters every time I talk about a national tournament, just to avoid the google...). I've been doing it so long that the prospect of having most of my Spring Break seems like a dream most people get to live out, but that is never available to me...

For now, I'm sure I'll keep running the ballot table at NPTEKQRS nationals, but I don't see a good reason to go to the larger one. This year, like many years I'll start my spring break by running one tournament and end it by coaching at the other. For all intents and purposes, my spring break consists of two days in Red State (Tuesday and Wednesday) -- Monday we come home from NPTEKQRS nationals and Thursday I meet the team in mountain state for KLNPDARK nationals...

Today I hosted a debate party at BNCC. It was fun-- we had six teams from 4 different schools. We did 5 rounds and gave out some toys as prizes at the end. Some of my really good debate friends came and spent the whole day judging and giving insightful comments. We had good food, some fun times and did some great work to prepare for nationals.

Since I only have one team, I'm VERY grateful for their help getting ready for nationals. Without them, my team would have the same practice round over and over again -- which teaches them to debate against one type of team, but not against many others. I've also said the same things over and over to them -- and, like many familar relationships, what I say often goes in one ear and out the other. The fact that the other coaches were giving the same comments as i do helps to reinforce what I've said -- and maybe they'll listen.

Bridge to Terabithia

As a girl, I read the book. I remembered that it was sad -- I'd forgotten how sad, and how suddenly sad.

The movie was good -- even magical at times. If you read the book, go see the movie.

The animation is so wonderful -- and so nicely wed to the real life actors that sometimes it was hard to see at first.

The story is sweet and sad, and wonderful. I cried.

Updates on my twisted little world....

Old kitty seems to be getting along fine. I never see her eat, but she's perky and often downright sassy.

I'm addicted to the Scrabble game for my computer, although it cheats and the challenges exclude words that are in the Scrabble dictionary. I bought the game because I like Scrabble, but I suck at it. I'm going to work on my skills until I get good enough to beat hubby -- which will be a while. He's cagy that way. Right now I can beat the computer set on novice most of the time, so it is probably time to move up to Intermediate....

I have a complete draft of my feminist epistemology paper. There are many crappy sections and the intro still includes, "blah blah blah, something about Quine", but -- it has an expousatory section, objections and a suggested solution... so it is a completed draft.

Hubby and I went shopping today. He wante one of those Russian fur (or fake fur) hats. We ended up with one of those kind of fashionable hats with fake fur and ear flaps. His is extra funny, because it has some extra ears on it -- and it makes him look like a naughty care bear.

I'm nearly done with my intro to philosophy grading and I've graded the logic quizzes I need to have done next week. Now all I have to do is to grade a set of editorial analysis and some miscelaneous stuff and I'll be caught up. -- Good thing, as Wednesday will bring a set of logic exams to keep me occupied over break.

Tonight, I'm going to watch Survivor and do my toes -- I know you are jealous.... I think the color of the day will be a deep blue... if they turn out well, maybe I'll post a picture.

Dear Students...

Dear Intro to Philosophy Students,

Please, please, please read the questions you are answering on short-answer exams. Make sure you are answering the question you SAY you are answering.

Just because a question includes fewer specifics does not mean it is easier to answer. These quesitons are more difficult, because you are given less guidance.

For the record, very few of you are getting the right sort of answer to the question about the reasonableness of a belief in God. You are answering the question about arguments FOR God's existence and aren't discussing whether or not it is reasonable TO belive in God at all. This distinction is important and was made in class many times. Please pay better attention in the future.

Love,
your prof

Wonderings....

How long would you wait for a class of two students to show up?

My answer today was 15 minutes. I think I saw one of them down the hall, but didn't really want to teach them, so I didn't push it. Instead, I went home and had dinner with hubby... that makes me a slacker, I know -- but, they are the ones who will miss the stuff they'll need later.

How does old kitty survive?

She has no teeth and has been very picky about eating lately. Of course, she weighs under 5 pounds and doesn't expend much energy, so the casualcalories she picks up when she decides to lick her food a bit must be enough for her... still, I worry about her. She's kind of like the cat version of an air fern.

As I'm watching a TIVO of "The Girls Next Door", I wonder if I'd marry Hugh Heffner?

I tend to think not -- first of all, he's got to have old man backside-syndrome. Sure, he's got a bunch of money -- but, he's willing to make money off of naked women, so that is kind of a deal killer... Although, I do think it is the women's right to make that decision -- I just think it is kind of sick for an old perv to make his money from naked 18-year-olds...

As I typed that last paragraph, I was happy to have comment moderation as an option :).

Grading Jail... with hubby as company

Hubby and I went grocery shopping and to Borders today -- with the promise to ourselves that we'd then go into grading jail.

and... shock of shocks, we actually are doing it.

Of course, we have snacks -- this time a wonderful assortment of cheese and crckers --

and, we have feline supervision...

but, we are in grading jail and doing the work.

Hubby's home...

After dodging maniacs in semis and SUVs, Hubby is home.

It took him about 9 hours, when it should have been under 6.

He was tired and a bit carsick from being tossed around by the wind.

But, he's home.

The cats are happy to see him, as am I.

Hubby update #1

Hubby is on the way -- avoiding most of Corn State via South state and the southern part of BN state....

He took the backroads of Red State most of the way to South state -- then crossed over into Corn state and got on the highway that Corn state says is closed... except, that it isn't.... at all.

Thus confirming our idea that Corn state's info about road conditions is messed up.

Dismiss school for Tornado/Thunderstorm?

The stories about Enterprise Alabama make a big deal about the school's decision not to release students once a Tornado Warning was issued. It seems that it is common practice to let students out of school early in these situations. Some radio person claimed that the storm caused school closures in Alabama and Georgia.

Huh?

Release school for a thunderstorm or tornado? Where is the logic in that? In BN state school gets closed for snow --because snow causes difficult travel AND it keeps getting worse. Rain isn't dangerous. The schoolbus won't get stuck in a raindrift and if it does go off the road, getting wet isn't the same as freezing to death. Rain is also effing TEMPORARY. When the storm is over, it is easier to travel... If anything, they should keep students IN school when it is stormy -- waiting for the storm to end.

It is true that tornadoes ARE dangerous. The safest thing to do during a tornado warning is to STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!!! Sending students home during a tornado warning is dangerous. Having them in cars or on busses with tornados on the way means they are out of shelter and might have to hit the ditch to save themselves -- or not.

I just don't see it -- it really is sad that 7 students died when the tornado hit their school. It would have been even more sad if the bus taking them home had been hit and all 40 students had been killed. It would have been terrible if they'd been home when the tornado hit their neighborhood while they were hanging out and watching MTV, killing more students.

Of course, the cynical side of me looks at the low test scores and overall poor schools in Alabama and realizes that their schools probably suck because they let them out early for nothing. Teaching students entails keeping them in school. This wasn't a hurricane, this was a series of thunderstorms.

Another snow day, no hubby... sigh.

So, it seems that the Corn state can't handle a bit of snow. Hubby's theory is that they don't want to pay overtime at the end of the snow season, so they close the interstate... I'm not sure that is the case, but from the reports it doesn't seem that the storm warrants the roads being closed for two full days.

Tomorrow, he's plotting an escape from Red State. Armed with maps of Red State and "South" state he's going to make a push for BN state. If he can get to the main road into BN state, it is open -- although not in great condition according to the website.

Also, my experiment in being a hermit ended this evening... I went over 30 hours without seeing another human face to face... then, the microwave died in a shower of sparkes and some smoke... and I wanted popcorn. So, being the good BN state-native that I am, I went to Best Buy for a new one about 6:30 PM. While I was there, I got the most recent season of Seinfeld.

I'm sure that, had the microwave not died, I would have stayed in until at least tomorrow -- and been pretty happy about it. I'm sure part of this is because I've been gone so often since the end of last year -- I'm just loving my little apartment and am happy to be hibernating.

I left Best Buy about 7:00 PM.... I wonder how long it will be before I see another person, in person.

baking brownies..

I've been craving chocolate for a while...

I was about to take a nap when it hit me -- I have a brownie mix in the kitchen.

Now, I have a brownie mix in the oven.

21 minues left to go until warm, gooey brownie goodness is mine.

thank goodness we have some milk....

to heck with the healthy snacks -- I've got chocolate.

Snowed in update...

Inside:
I wrote a logic quiz and a debate quiz... lots of e-mails etc...

I spiffed up the bedroom and the bed in the DC, as well as the kitchen. I made some coffee and drank some coffee and ate some hummus for lunch.

I haven't seen another person face-to-face for 24 hours -- since the cleaning woman left and I had a chat with the apartment caretaker about not putting flyers under the door for blind kitty to eat...

I've watched a little TV, but not a lot. I've mostly been listening to Chick-Talk radio -- which is good company.

Outside the apartment:
There is plowing action in my little world --

The assisted living facility across the street is good to their residents, they brush off their cars and move them to the street before the plow comes. It would be really sad if the little old ladies had to do that themselves. Our apartment people seem to have cleared stuff off less recently, but it is passible to the street.

The road has been plowed at least a couple of times and I can see the pavement!

It is still snowing.... and it is blowing quite a bit as well. It is hard to guess, but I'm thinking at least a foot of snow if not 18 inches or so, so far.

In Red State:
Hubby is getting cabin fever. He's rattling around in the homeowners big, kind of cold house and he really wants to be here with me and the cats.

He's also frustrated with Iowa's DOT/ website, which hasn't been updated in the last three hours as to road conditions.

Hubby's plan is to go out and see how far he can get. He's going to load up the Jeep with food, water, warm blankets etc... and take off into the wild white younder.

I'll let you know how far he makes it...

Plans for the day...
First - a nap. The cats have persuaded me that napping is the best thing to do on a snowy day.
Next -- if hubby makes progress, I'll start something in the crock pot.

This afternoon I'll probably write a logic exam, grade some papers and do other things to set-up my classes until Spring Break.

The view from the Dissertation Chamber -- I really, really, really look snowed in... that is my third floor window-- and the roof is the roof of the assisted living facility across the street... it is also three floors.



It doesn't seem to bother Extra-toes... he just wants hubby to come home. If you look closely, you can see his extra toes on his front paw.

Ole and Lena joke..

background: For plowing reasons, it is common to have odd/even parking restrictions overnight during Snow Emergencies. Also, in BN state, due to our Scandinavian background we tell "Ole and Lena" jokes like normal states tell 'Polack' jokes...

On the first day of a snow emergency Lena says to Ole, "Ole, you need to move the car to the odd side of the street", so Ole puts on all his winter clothes, goes outside, brushes off the car and moves it to a spot on the odd side of the street.

The next day, the snow emergency is still going on and Lena tells him to move it to the even side of the street, so Ole puts on his winter clothes, digs out the car and moves it to the even side of the street.

On the third day of the snow emergency, Lena tells Ole to move the car back to the odd side of the street, and Ole says, 'Uff da Lena, tonight can't I just park the car in the garage tonight?"

Snow update

yep, it is still snowing.

It is a f-ing winter-wonderland out there.

The parking lot of the assisted living facility across the street has been cleared once, but needs it again.

I think our garage exit is drifted over... I could take it in the Jeep (which conquers all, but does require open highways to make the trek home) -- but, I don't think the little Toyota would make it.

I may actually BE snowed in... wow.

In the 'send your wishes into the internet and they'll come true' category:

I wish the major highways between here and Red State would open so hubby can come home for 'spring break'. There are really only 2 that have to open --- please, please internet... make it so and get him home.

and... I get a snow day -- kind of..

Well, if I taught on Thursdays this semester, I'd be doing the happy snow dance today.

Tomorrow the college is closed -- AND they cancelled the conference we were all supposed to go to.

I'm happy about this -- since I didn't want to go anyway AND I don't normally teach on Fridays, so I don't have a class day off to compensate for doing this stupid conference... in essence, it is on MY time -- which irritates me.

SO, now I don't have to make a decision tomorrow... the decision would have been between the following

a) go late, pick up my nametag and eat lunch
b) skip-- hope they don't notice or say anything and then blame the snow
c) request 'reassignment' time, to work in my office -- which is what I would have done anyway --
d) suddenly get "sick" -- e-mail my Dean and take a sick day, which I rarely do...

Now, I'll do a modified happy snow dance because I don't have to lie -- and I can do whatever I want to do anyway, sans guilt.

Snowed in activies... suggestions?

I'm taking suggestions as to what to do while I'm snowed in.

The point is to find some activites that will let me procrastinate the work I'm supposed to do...

So -- here are the parameters...

I live in a normal, third-floor apartment. Two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen etc.. The activies need to happen in the building, but can include the hallway, laundryroom or basement garage.

I have three cats that can be included in the activies, but not harmed by them. Two of the three are elderly, thus not much fun. The third may be borderline mentally handicapped -- but he's active and fun....

I have cable TV and high-speed internet, which I am not at all above using. I also have a bunch of DVDs.

I have a pretty well-stocked kitchen.

I prefer activites that are fairly short (30 minutes or less), so that I can get more work done -- or procrastinate in a wider variety of ways.

Snowed in...

We are snowed in, but not together...

and, actually I'm not really snowed in -- if I had to go out in my little Toyota sedan, I could get out -- it is just really icky out there.

Hubby's school cancelled classes, as did my grad school (I'm still on their Univeristy-wide e-mail list).

Of course, the zippy Romanian woman who cleans my house made it on time... from across town. So, I suppose that if she could make it here, I could get out if I wanted to.

I went to the super grocery store last night on the way home -- I now have enough snacks and other food to last a few blizzards.

I see no other reason to go out - so, I'm going to take advantage of my wonderful acadmic schedule and spend the whole day working from home... just me, the cats and the cleaning person.

Maybe this afternoon I'll reward all of my hard work with a nap.