Go go gooooo!

More snow...time to move....that's all....

Ok, kiddin'

I have not written for a number of reasons that pertain to multitasking. Yep, it's that time of the year. Yesterday's cookie fest V went off beautifully....although, I sat down for the first time in days yesterday and did not know what to do. So, I started to roam around the house until I dropped.



You see...cookie fest is a big deal in our family and I had to be ready. But I also had to work, which really throws a blockage in front of any holiday festivities. As I sit here now, I have nothing purchased, wrapped, or written for the season. And I have nine days left. My work week started this morning at 6 am and will end around midnight on Thursday. In between, I have to find some time to consider Christmas and Christmas Eve dinner, cards, and gift giving.

My thoughts are that this is not the way we are supopsed to be during the holiday season. I think that it should be more relaxing and reflective, yet, the pressures to be perfect are overwhelming. I don't even play tennis anymore, yet my time has been filled by something insidious...the time sucker....



What is the time sucker? Well, I don't know. The TS is hidden but it seems to get into the way of all great plans. Whether it is a student who is struggling with a concept or in need of tutoring or a car that has to be brought in to the service station for the 6th time in 2 months or a child who needs something that only a mom can provide, or snow that needs to be shoveled....the TS is out there. There is no stopping it. And so, based upon the knowledge that I have not yet walked into the store equipped with my trusty coupons, I am going to alert the world that it may be a gift card Christmas.



Huh? What? No, mom, no! You have to get out there....rummage through the racks....find the sizes....you know....the big kid wears an XL....Tink is a small.....Ma.....the stores are open until midnight. You can do this. You train for it all year. No one has more experience than you do. And cookies....yeah, you know that you are going to eat all of the cookie fest cookies this week....we need more!  You have what it takes...now stop your whining and make it happen.......Go Go Go GOOOOOOOO!

Whew, thanks for that pep talk....gotta make it happen....go go go goooooo!

Another snow...ugh....that's all....ugh...

Yesterday, as I glanced at a frozen driveway, walkway, and stairs, I had a vision of ruining all of the elbow physical therapy that I have undergone in the past three months. Yep, blown to smithereens on a lousy snow fall. Pretty, yes?
 

Pretty, NO! I was asked innocently by my neighbors if they could shovel for me for $30.00. Dude, you got your self a deal. Oh yeah, please carve out a path in the grass for Diva since she does not like to drop her bottom into the cold...but then again...who does?
 


Today, I have a final to give at 9 am. So, in order to be there on time with the ice on the roads, I left three hours early. You know what? There was very little traffic and even less ice. Therefore, I am sitting in the campus computer lab for another 90 minutes until the students begin to arrive. I suppose this is my obsessive compulsive behaviors  that pulled me out of bed so early.



How is the big kid? I believe that he is doing quite well. He earned a 97 on his finance exam making him one excited puppy. Of course, it was the second time that he took it. The first time does not count since he had surgery during the course and his professor did not see the big deal of trying to take notes with his non dominant hand while his left arm was in a sling and he was sleeping upright in a chair..

He is also excited because his physical therapist is working out with one of baseball all-star pitchers whom I cannot name. Actually, I could not name him because I had to look him up on the internet. Let's just say that he is a local boy who signed on the west coast for $5 million this year. Anyway, when I shared this baseball knowledge with the big kid, he decided that he would bring cupcakes to his therapist next Tuesday, meet the pitcher, and become his best friend. Oh yeah, they are going to hang out together too...Take in a movie or two, talk baseball, and play X Box. Those are his plans.

What actually will happen is he will bring in the cupcakes and the pitcher will be done with his therapy. The big kid will be out $10.00, yet his physical therapist will enjoy the red velvet cupcakes that he so thoughtfully brought.

And with that said, I have to sign off because I anticipate students gathering around me in a few minutes.

Peace!

Hokey? Moi?

Good Morning! it's snowing and I am not happy about it. I actually preferred the odd snow storm that we had on Sunday. Sadly my extended family was battling the tricky roads to return to their homes, I was snug by the fire place with my lap top and Eagles game on the television. Did I feel bad for them? yes! But there was nothing that I could do except say a prayer for their safe return and watch the coolest game of the year....or perhaps the most slippery game of the year...the Eagles versus the Lions.



And now, it snows again and I have to go out in it. Tink has to work this morning and I am not going to let her drive. She is still fairly new behind the wheel and I do not feel that she is ready for snow. What am I saying? I know that she is not ready for snow travel. So, we will bundle up, grab a blanket or two, some snacks, and head out. No, I am not going to the Antarctica, but I am following the directions for snow travel on the news. Did I leave anything out?

On Sunday, we made a grim discovery....the snow blower has blown its last snowflake. This is bad...very bad....extremely dire....quick, where can I take it? Is there a snowblower emergency room that can fill it with oil and gas through an intravenous and discharge it back to my garage? Again, this is NOT good. I spent years shoveling out from blizzards and snow storms and finally we bought the snow blower....a big beautiful red machine that can clear the drive way in minutes.....but alas, it seems to have a limited shelf life, which I do not understand. It was expensive, darn it! Doesn't that make it a better product? Or just a more pricey one?



I know that I am rambling a bit. It is a problem that I have had since early November. I can't get my thoughts today in a clear manner. With that issue, I have an article that was due on December 1st that I have not finished. I cannot seem to be able to pull enough sentences together.
 





It is bugging me in a big way. I never miss deadlines....sometimes I am early....sometime I am late. But I always make them. This is new for me, so I am not sure how to handle it. I am pretty sure that I am peeved at my inability to concentrate for an hour or three.




How can I fix this writer's block? Well, I do not call it a writer's block, per se. I call it a writer's 'pause'. And I have nothing....except to go back to when I wrote my dissertation. I was fueled by Dunkin' Donuts coffee and a chocolate donut. Once I drank the coffee and ate the donut, I was good to go for hours. And so, if I do not finish this project, I will resort to Plan DD. Yep.....Dunkin' Donuts....I'll let you know if it works.


How is the big kid? Well, he is finishing the semester and projects and plans to be home early next week. I do miss him. He is often the voice of sanity in my insanity as I try to pull the pieces together of the holidays, classes, and projects.





Oh yeah....nothing is done yet for Christmas...although the tree is up. I put up the outside lights to which dad called 'hokey.'  Let me at 'em...seriously? Hokey? Dude! it took me hours to get the lights from screwy to off kilter to hokey! Really...a little respect will go a long way when you are chatting with Santa...if you know what I mean. Hokey? I'll 'hokey' him!




With that said, I am going to try to write my paper and grade my tests.....and strap the skis onto Tink's car....

Ho Ho Hokey!

This is why I drink....coffee

Hi! This is another quickie since I have Lil A and Tink and we are going Christmas shopping. But first, I had to process my idiocy.....you see.....(fade to darkness......)



Tink and I decided that we would get up early and go to Sh'Bam class, Starbucks, then the church bazaar. So far so good for a December Saturday morning.....it's cold in the northeast so I wore my down vest over the sweat shirt....Do you know where this is going?

After exercise class, I threw on my vest, ran out the door and headed to Starbucks when I got a call from Lil A who needed a Lil A-sitter since her dad had surgery to perform. "Yep, we'll get you after I hit Starbucks." Running into Starbucks, people stared at me....or was it my imagination? It was cold and I had the calf length yoga pants on, so maybe they thought that I was a beast.....After standing in line and grabbing the coffees, we zipped to get Lil A.

Now it happened...as I tried to put my cell phone into my vest pocket, I could not locate the pocket and finally it dawned on me....I have been wearing my down vest with the Talbots size L on my back...in the gym....in Starbucks and now at Dr. G's house.   As Homer Simpson would say: Doiiiie!

Yeah, it looked like Tink had picked up her mother at the mental institution and took her out for a walk. Not pleased....how does this happen to me all the time? Do I rush too much? Why couldn't Tink tell me that I had the jacket on inside out? Does she take great pride in seeing her mother look like she needs a net thrown over her head? Can I show up at the gym and Starbucks again or should I move to another state where I do not have to wear jackets?

I could blame it on leaving the house without having fully caffeinated myself, but no one will believe it. I either need my head examined or never leave the house again.

With that said, I will have to get my head examined because we are headed out to shop.

Later!

Good morning...yawn...coffee...IV...now! Yep, I'm beat....beaten up.....want to sleep....still in pajamas....got to get going....too much to do....not enough time...sound like your life, too? Et tu?



I now know what people mean by TGIF. Since I basically work at an even pace every day, at least, I do not have to travel anywhere except for errands. Last night I got home around 10:45 after leaving at 9 am. As I walked through the door, my email on my phone buzzed five times from students who needed the answers to questions. Then the big kid called at 11 ish as I was responding to their questions.

As we began to chat, I opened one email from a young student whose salutation to me was "hey BPM'.....Actually, the name that was used was my last name. SO, there was no "hey Dr. BPM"...no "hey Professor BPM...."  no "hey Mrs BPM"....It was truly odd and I have gotten emails similar to this but usually there was something before my last name. Shocked, I asked the big kid if he ever used a greeting like that in an email to his professors....you know, the men and women who give him a GRADE on his report card. His response was "uh, nope."

Then I asked him if I should say something to the student or let it go. He replied: "You have to say something. You can't let it go."

Sigh....I really wanted to go to bed but had to address this student. Therefore, I sent a quick letter responding to the question and asked if she had intended to use the 'hey' salutation. After all, we speak of leadership and respect in class, yet I can tell that the majority have not gotten it yet. With the response, she seemed mortified and apologized. Actually, I could have let it go, but since this is one of my students, I have the need to set boundaries and be more formal. OYE!

On to the leftie....he had a meeting with the coaches who apologized to him for yelling at him over the past weeks. As they got to know him, they realized that he was mentally processing what they were saying rather than reacting. This is a double edged sword. In other words, he continues to do what the other coaches have called him out for....thinking too much. Yep, my kid thinks too much which I like because I have always taught him to think before he acts. Yet now, the coaches call this a detriment.



What do you want? A thinker? Or a doofus who throws the ball? Can't have it both ways. By the way, don't start thinking until you finish this degree, OK?

They also said that he was the perfect college player as his work ethic and grade point average were strong. He is the only player that the coaches have had to say 'stop training so much.' A good thing? Perhaps....I don't know in my sleepy state, but he is pretty happy about the meeting.

With that said, there is more to share but if I don't grab a bold grande Starbucks in the next 20 minutes, I am going to fall asleep on my keyboard.

Have a great day!

Hand washing 101

Hello! Today is the day when I take my show on the road. That's right, I get to drive 89 miles on the turnpike to teach a class until mid January. The class begins at 6p and ends at 10p. Then I can return home. With that said, I have made my plans....yes, it begins with a Starbucks bold coffee and finishes with one of Tink's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. PB&J is my preferred meal on 'game day'. On multi grain bread, I only need a half sandwich to hold me the entire day. So, Tink, get out of bed, wash your hands, and make dinner for me, puh-leez!



Speaking of washing hands, Sparky, Tink, Baker, and friends went to happy hour last night and we had a lively chat about germs in hotel rooms. It started with me telling Sparky to remember her plastic sandwich bag for the television remote control because those things are loaded with bacteria. Horrified, I continued to share with her that the light switches were also bacteria laden since the cleaning people did not wipe them down. Lastly, another member of the group mentioned bedbugs and she was ready to jump ship.

It's true. All of it. And yes, I am a germ phobe, but as an educator, I have the need to share some of my knowledge with others. For example, after one leaves the rest room, do not grab the door handle, because there are people out there who do not believe in washing their hands. Therefore, a person can use part of their shirt or coat to open the door. Disgusting? Perhaps. Careful? You bet.

When I got home, the big kid called to report in. He is very very close to the dean's list again and is working hard to make sure that we receive another letter in the mail congratulating him on his high grade point average. Anyway, as we chatted, he mentioned that I 'ruined' hotel rooms for him. Ruined? Moi? Hey, I am a mom. I also have to share my knowledge with my children too. Once he came back from a weekend series in the south with a rash all over his body? Bedbugs? I don't know. The ER doc did not know either and hence he was placed on prednisone to eliminate the welts.

Grossed out? Probably. Dad told me that if I was too tired to drive home tonight, I should stay at the hotel next to the campus. After writing this latest note, there is no way that I am going to stay in a hotel tonight. Karma might come and bite me in the tush.





By the way, Sparky and Baker are headed to Tampa tomorrow and staying at a nice hotel. She plans on bringing a zip lock bag, Clorox wipes, and Purell. I might tell her to bring a flash light to check for the bedbugs, Now, have I ruined hotels for you too?

Gotta run.....

Big Santa

Greetings! I am writing later than usual but I have a few moments before happy hour begins. Diva and I have been hanging out together today as I tried to put up some decorations. The semester hits me hard beginning this week as I have meetings, two classes on campus, and a third class to teach 90 miles from my home on Wednesday nights until mid January. We have several campuses and I was asked with a 'pretty please' to take a class at the last minute. Being a team player (don't laugh), I said: "really, me? whyyyyyy? There's no one else??? Seriously! Man oh man! I have seniority....what if I find someone for you? Come on...don't use those puppy dog eyes on me.....FINE...I'll do it this once and never again....'cause I am a team player. @$!*(%*

Yeah...a team player.....

Speaking of teams, I tapped into my home team today to  help carry decorations up from the basement and construct the 9-foot Christmas tree. Before the big guy left for campus, I had him put the star on top. It was crooked....'do it again, please'...



"Mom, it's fine...."

"no, it is crooked...move it to the left...."

"to the right......"

"back to the left...."

"Down a fraction....."

"I said a fraction...."

"Now, back up...."

"down...."

"Hey, where are you going?"

Yeah, suddenly he had to return to campus in a rush. It's OK, I am happy, although the star is still crooked. Actually, the tree looks crooked too. Yes, I have had a number of crooked trees fall and break ornaments. So now, I have plastic ornaments that look like glass. That's what I think. I am sure that anyone who sees the tree will think: "Yuk...crooked tree...crooked star...plastic ornaments."



On a similar note, Thanksgiving newspapers are my favorite of the year because they have all of the sales. I did not plan on shopping until I saw him.....He was beautiful.....large....five feet tall....he talks too.....I had to have him.....I made a plan of action and knew that I had to get to Rite Aid before the end of the weekend to buy him.

What was I so enamored with? Ahhhh....a five foot tall Santa who sings and talks. OK, now I know that you think that I am crazy but he is just the most amazing find of the year. Last year I saw a big Santa at Kirklands and he was waaay too expensive, so I waited until the day after Christmas. By the time I got to the store, he was gone....boo hoo.....



Then I saw a huge sleigh for the front of the house. But again....way too expensive...so I waited until December 26th and guess what? Yep, I was beat out again by a better shopper.

With Big Santa, I knew that I would get him if I had to travel to every Rite Aid in the tri state region. Therefore, I stopped at my local Rite Aid and asked Tink's girl friend who happened to be working where the Santa was.....She looked at me.....as I stood there in my work out clothes....wet hair...no make up and a crazed look on my face...."Where is he??"



She stops checking a man out and pointed....and there in a box...on a shelf.....waiting for me was my Big Santa....I slowly walked over and could not believe my luck....he was there at the first Rite Aid that I stopped in....Then the manager stopped by and mentioned that he was the last one on the shelf. And actually, he was the only Santa. The company sent one to them since he had a small store. Who cares? I got the big man in red and am staring at him right now as he stands in the corner of my family room. He is sooo cool! The kids think that I am nuts, but actually, I believe they like the way I keep the excitement in Christmas for them. It's a joy for me. And I am happy that they enjoy when I act like a little kid over something stupid like a big Santa.

It's not like Big Santa is a car or pearls or diamonds...he is just....big Santa...



And now, it is time for me to think about making dinner.....or ordering out.....



See ya!