Feeling accomplished

Today I submitted two conference papers and commented on a student's MS report. Yay for me!

On to other stuff.

• One of the downsides to living in X city and working in Y city is that things get lost, or forgotten, along the way. I stay at my parents' house during the week to save time and money, and inevitably I find I've left something vital....somewhere. This week it was the charger for my Blackberry, which I left at my parents' house, and the data cable that I use to synch it with my PC, which is AWOL. I've searched for the cable at home, and my parents' house, and at my office with no luck. Since the data cable is necessary for synching but also charges the phone via my USB port, I figured I might as well get another because otherwise my phone would die by this evening. Then if I find the original cable, I have a backup that I can leave in UniTown.

• I've signed up for a high-end embroidery class through Thistle Threads' Online University, and classes start tomorrow. I am excited! I never knew there was anything beyond stamped designs or counted cross-stitch and DMC floss. The fan project uses silk and metals but at a very beginner level, and I'm not quite an embroidery "beginner." So this glove needlecase project looks like a challenge and also like fun. There's a master gold class later, where we learn 28 different metal thread stitches. Cool.

• I am reading Neal Stephenson's Anathem per Son's recommendation. At first, I didn't like it much but I am getting into it now. I can only read recreationally at night before bed, and I'm usually so tired I fall asleep within 15 minutes, so I am not far into the book yet. The last book I read, "The Needle in the Right Hand of God", about the Bayeux Tapestry, was utterly fascinating.

• Because I stay in UniTown all week, Kitty Mama and Kitty Son are all over me when I get home. Kitty Mama is at this moment lying across my forearms as I try to type on the computer while peering over a purring mound of fluff. I was working on my conference papers up in Son's old bedroom today (boy, does that room get WARM) and they were keeping me company. So I will close with an adorable shot of Kitty Son sleeping while I worked.

Wow, that was a long hiatus

Lots of stuff going on--parental units went to Mexico for 18 days on a missions trip, Youngest Daughter came home for a weekend to get her allergy shots, things went nutsier at work--it's been a long strange month. HURRAH for Scott Brown's election! Don't mess with truck drivers!

One piece of neato news: I got accepted to a CAREER grant workshop in Atlanta. Hopefully it will increase my chances of actually winning one.

Here's where I am so far with the fan and Youngest Daughter's Matryushka doll:

A cautionary tale

Okay, we went to see Avatar in IMAX 3D.

Yes, it's a beautiful film. The story--well, we were forewarned about the story and it lived down to our expectations. The visual effects were gorgeous, though.

The problem was the 3D, at least for me. No one who gets car sick should go see this movie in 3D. When we left the theater, I made Spouse pull over at one point because I thought I was going to throw up. We found a donut shop where I got a cup of tea and sat until my stomach settled. I haven't been that motion-sick since I rode in the back seat of my adviser's Subaru for four hours.

Ugh.

So now I'm not nauseated but I sure am tired out.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

All sorts of things are going on and it's hard to keep track of all them. My department finally has a date for a decision on what is happening with us, and as part of that we all have to write our "wish list" of what we want for our careers to grow and flourish.

It's nice to have a date for once, but it was a weird and puzzling meeting with the Provost and Dean, and something just doesn't seem right.

Changes are happening in other areas of the college too, and in the university as a whole. State-wise, change. We are waiting to hear if Spouse will have to drop to four days a week because of the budget situation. Nationally, change. I continue to write my representatives in opposition to the health care bill but since they are the ones standing immediately behind Pelosi and Reid (may they all be defeated in their next election) in all the photo ops, I am not sanguine that they are even reading any opposing messages.

It seems everything is in an uproar.

Pretty soon I may have some big decisions to make, career-wise, and I am not sure what direction to go. The only thing I do know is that I am not making any decisions until I absolutely *have* to choose. In the meantime, Spouse and I are going to go see Avatar in Imax 3D tonight. Popcorn!

Oh phooey

This morning I had an appointment at 8 a.m. for a yearly medical exam.

I had been at UniTown since Friday afternoon because my parents needed a ride to the airport earrrrrrrrrrrrrly Saturday morning (like, 4 a.m.) for their missions trip to Mexico. I stayed over Saturday because I filled in for my mom, playing piano at the Sunday morning service. Then I drove through a snowstorm to HomeCity because I had this exam scheduled.

So, I got up this morning at 6, packed up the stuff I'd need for the week, and got to the hospital by 7:45 for the exam. When I walked up to the check-in counter, the lady asked for the doctor's script. THE DOCTOR'S SCRIPT. WHERE WAS THE DOCTOR'S SCRIPT? Aha. It was in UniTown, in my OTHER computer bag. Of course, they can't do anything without the doctor's script.

Fortunately, the doc's office opened up at 8 a.m. and they soon faxed the script over. Next, the ouchie test--they had to repeat one pic because my chin was in the way in one shot. Ouchie. Then as I was walking out to the truck, I slipped a bit--and apparently there was a worn spot in my trousers and it ripped. Sigh. Instead of driving right to work, I had to go to my parents' house and change my pants. Now I have to buy another pair of khaki pants. Dang.

Thankfully the rest of the day went better. But man, it's tough living in more than one place.